Business School


Aligned to FPD's vision of building a better society through education and capacity development, the FPD Business school focuses on developing transformational leaders.

The FPD Business School has a wide selection of management and business courses comprising of formally registered qualifications, international short courses, short learning programmes and distance education. These management and professional courses cater for all levels of students from entry-level professional to highly experienced executive management.

Our teaching methodologies are based on cutting-edge educational methodologies and include: interactive and engaging online content, engagement and tutorial sessions, case studies, group discussions, structured and unstructured group work and action research. Our emphasis is on translating management theory into practical workplace skills to meet the labour needs of Africa. This is ensured through our educational approach, our panel of national and international expert faculty and the integration of action research into our curricula.



Student Support Services

FPD strives to guide and support students in acquiring:

  • sound knowledge base in the field of study concerned;
  • scholarly and/or professional and/or technological dispositions, attributes and competencies appropriate to the field of study and/or future careers;
  • academic, professional and employability knowledge, skills,
  • attitudes and values that will enable participation in society as high-level human resources with a view to promoting growth and prosperity;
  • competencies and attitudes necessary for lifelong learning.

Student support is facilitated according to the unique needs of the target group and the programme. Distance education activities are offered via the online learning platform and a variety of online activities are communicated to students in a very clear and transparent way. Feedback is presented in such a way that students can benefit from the suggestions for improvement of the work. Student support is provided for on the online learning platform and by communication by e-mail. The teaching and learning point of departure is that instructions to students are clear and free of any ambiguity. The FPD is convinced that the clear formulation of module outcomes, together with constructively aligned teaching methods and assessment criteria and tasks, is the best way to support students in achieving the optimum academic results.

Students all have contact details for technical, administrative and content support, students can email or call to request assistance. For further support the Academic Coordinator will hold regular engagement sessions to support students and online discussion forums are available for students to access peer support and support from faculty. Student support takes into consideration the diverse needs of students as well as the level of study and is a critical factor for teaching, learning and research in open distance learning. It encompasses tuition, peer, in-text and administrative support. Tuition support includes detailed, formative and timely feedback on students' assignments via the decentralised distribution of assignments as well as opportunities to engage in argument and debate with their peers and tutors through a variety of accessible and appropriate media, such as face-to-face, telematic and online.

All students have access to the FPD e-library services and may access the latter online or at the FPD's central campus. All modules are available online on the FPD's custom-developed learning management system (LMS). Through the LMS students can receive and respond to emails, submit learning tasks and receive feedback on assignments and take part in asynchronous discussion forums, which may be student or staff-initiated. reminders are sent to students failing to submit their assignments on time.



Foundation for Professional Development Digital Library

The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) digital Library provides students with access to an amazing range of online resources to explore the subjects they are passionate about. We will also help students to develop skills that will support them as they study, at work, or in everyday life. The online library gives students access to quality-assured and trusted resources that are selected and assessed by subject specialists and academics.

The digital library assists students in:

  1. Finding information for their self-study.
  2. Finding resources to assist them in assignments or projects.
  3. Explore further reading for their module(s).
  4. Carry out in-depth research or explore specific subjects.

The online library includes resources and readings for the following qualifications as well as specifies the prescribed readings and or textbook(s):

  1. Higher Certificate in Management
  2. Higher Certificate in Practice Management
  3. Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care
  4. Advanced Certificate in Management
  5. Advanced Certificate in Health Management
  6. Advanced Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation
  7. Advanced Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine
  8. Postgraduate Diploma in Distance Higher Education
  9. Postgraduate Diploma in Health Professions Education and Leadership
  10. Postgraduate Diploma in General Practice
  11. Master of Public Health

For each qualification, students will have access to comprehensive self-study manuals that have been developed by leading experts in the field and in some instances, there may be a prescribed textbook that is provided to them as part of their curricula. As a registered student, all of their study material(s) will be made available, either as a hardcopy, textbook or electronically.

Students are able to access the digital library via The EdOnline system (portal.foundation.co.za) which is the primary tool used to drive learning via various routes such as Face to Face (F2F), Online On Demand (Course), Virtual Classrooms or a combination of this.

All students are required to register a free profile on the FPD Student Portal to access their programme.

Once logged in they are able to navigate to the digital library, which is available to any student registered on the Student Portal.

Click here to access the online e-library.

Psycho-social Support

Higher Health 24/7 Helpline

How to access the HIGHER HEALTH 24-hour student and staff helpline:

  • Toll-free call 0800 36 36 36
  • SMS 43-33-6

How to access HealthCheck:

HIGHER HEALTH, as the national agency of the Department of Higher Education and Training, dedicated to student and staff wellbeing, has led a comprehensive post-schooling education sector response to COVID-19. Its latest intervention addresses the mental health needs of over two-million students and staff who make up our sector.

As stated by the United Nations, the World Health Organization and local experts, the mental health and wellbeing of whole societies have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is an urgent priority.

Physical and psychological health go hand in hand together. COVID-19 has further exacerbated anxiety, depression, feelings of loneliness and fear due to economic and academic uncertainties. Hence it is imperative that the mental and psychosocial wellbeing of our students and staff be emphasised as a critical enabler for the achievement of our skills development and education goals across all our universities, TVET colleges, CET colleges, skill and work-based learning centres, as well as our private higher education institutions.

Under the guidance of the Department of Higher Education and Training and in support with the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), HIGHER HEALTH has mapped the mental health and substance abuse priorities related to COVID-19 within the post-schooling sector. A tailor-made three-tier programme considers why and how students and staff may be impacted and how to assist individuals who experience problems.

At the intervention’s primary level, HIGHER HEALTH’s student-led peer-to-peer programme plays a key role in creating awareness and introducing initiatives to increase psychological resilience, recognise and reduce anxiety, stress and depression and prevent suicide. Peer-to-peer counselling is enhanced through mental health self-risk assessments and various communication initiatives. Notably, addressing factors and detrimental psychosocial and physical effects of Gender-Based Violence (GBV)– as a recognised challenge to the post-schooling sector – are part of the same conversations and interventions.

The secondary level entails a HIGHER HEALTH 24-hour toll-free student and staff helpline, in alliance with SADAG which enables the provision of help when needed in 11 official languages. The service will provide free telephonic – or SMS – counselling, crisis intervention and support, and referrals to mental health professionals and other psychosocial resources to students and staff across all campuses. Where needed, HIGHER HEALTH will assist individual institutions with capacity building and implementation.

At a tertiary level, HIGHER HEALTH is appointing 10 clinical psychologists, across all our provinces, who will provide counselling and refer relevant cases to the appropriate professionals.

The mental health initiative for the HIGHER HEALTH 24-hour student and staff helpline can be accessed as follows:

  • Toll-free call 0800 36 36 36
  • SMS 43336


Foundation for Professional Development Academic and Student Relations Policies

FPD has the following Academic and Student Relation policies to further support our students:

Academic Policies:

  • Programme Development
  • Work Integrated learning
  • M&E of teaching and learning
  • RPL and CAT
  • Academic Governance
  • Teaching and Learning policy
  • Assessment of Learning
  • Examination
  • Moderation
  • Student Plagiarism
  • Certification and awards
  • Code of Academic Research
  • Research

Student Relations Policies:

  • Student Selection Admission and Enrolment
  • Language
  • Student and Academic Grievances
  • Student disability
  • Student Support
  • Student Supervisor relationship
  • Postgraduate

Click here to access the policies.

https://www.foundation.co.za/academic-policies
https://www.foundation.co.za/student-policies