The Foundation for Professional Development

About FPD Research

The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) is a leading South African private institution of higher education, established in 1997, with a proud legacy of over 25 years of academic and research excellence. As a multidisciplinary academic institution, FPD integrates research across all its departments, fostering a culture of inquiry and innovation that informs practice, policy, and education. Research at FPD is not confined to a single unit—it is a cross-departmental endeavour that draws on the diverse expertise of professionals across the institution, including the System Strengthening and Innovation units. This collaborative model ensures that research is embedded in real-world challenges and solutions, enhancing its relevance and impact. At the heart of this ecosystem is the FPD Research Unit, which plays a pivotal role in coordinating and conducting rigorous scientific and epidemiological studies. (Scroll down for more about the FPD Research Unit.) Together, FPD’s departments and the Research Unit exemplify the institution’s commitment to research that is impactful, inclusive, and aligned with the pressing health and development needs of South Africa and beyond.

PROJECTS

Clinical Trials

FPD established the Ndevana Clinical Research Site (CRS) in the Ndevana community in 2021 in collaboration with the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and following investigator-driven research in HIV prevention conducted in this area.

STI Research

There is a high burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in South Africa, especially Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae...

HIV Research

FPD has worked in the HIV field for more than two decades now promoting community awareness, strengthening healthcare services, and building public health capacity.

Mental Health Implementation Research

FPD’s Mental Health (MH) Implementation Research & Evaluation portfolio focuses on designing, testing, and scaling evidence-based, youth-friendly, and community-based models.

Journal Publications

Curated repository of journal articles published by FPD, highlighting our commitment to advancing knowledge through research and thought leadership across health, education, and development sectors.

About FPD Research Unit

FPD’s Research Unit conducts diverse research in the fields of HIV treatment and prevention, STIs, tuberculosis (TB), COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance, maternal and reproductive health, and mental health. This research is funded by national and international donors and conducted by an experienced and qualified team of investigators, doctors, nurses, laboratory technologists, pharmacists, counsellors, research assistants, quantitative and qualitative data experts, and field workers. We have expertise in epidemiological research encompassing all quantitative study designs (trials; cohort studies; cross-sectional studies, etc.), qualitative evaluations, and implementation science.

The FPD Research Unit has five strategic goals:

To coordinate and conduct rigorous scientific and epidemiologic research,

Develop local, regional, and international partnerships that bring expertise to address issues of public health importance,

Cultivate current and next generation public health researchers and epidemiologists through training and mentorship,

Advance evidence-based policy recommendations,

Contribute to the global body of scientific knowledge that directly informs public health programs and policy.

FPD’s Research Unit includes the rural Ndevana Community Research Site in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCM) where HIV prevention and treatment clinical trials are conducted. This is a unique and rare capacity as conducting clinical trials in rural, resource-constrained settings is uniquely challenging and requires robust infrastructure and high regulatory standards. Five additional clinical research facilities have also been established at primary healthcare facilities in BCM where sexually transmitted infection (STI) projects, and maternal and reproductive health studies are conducted.