Introduction

The University of Pretoria (UP) established the Centre for the Study of AIDS (CSA) in 1999 to mainstream HIV/AIDS through all aspects of University's core business activities. Its mission was to understand the complexities of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa and to develop effective ways of ensuring that all the students and staff of the University are prepared both professionally and personally to deal with HIV and AIDS as it unfolds in South African society.

Since that time, the CSA has continued to develop and expand its innovative training, educational, counselling and research programmes, as well as providing intellectual leadership and consultancy services off campus to government and the private and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sectors. The current programme of the CSA primarily serves more than 40 000 on-campus students at the University. It includes training for staff and students, counselling and support and a range of community-based programmes. In addition, the CSA promotes the development of HIV/AIDS-related curricula and research on HIV/AIDS at a faculty level.

The CSA further promotes a holistic understanding of HIV/AIDS, where it is not simply seen as a pure medical issue, but as a social, medical, developmental and legal one.