With the demand to remain relevant in a changing global health development environment, HEARD has undergone some essential organisational changes. We have a new mission – to be the leading institution in interdisciplinary health research and education in Africa, in order to influence policy and practice to more effectively address Africa’s health challenges. In order to achieve this goal, we’ve expanded and refined our research agenda, focus areas, policy engagements as an applied research centre.

Our dynamic research agenda and change in focus are outlined in the HEARD strategic plan 2015-2019.

Following the implementation of this bold new strategy, the call for a new website and a refreshed brand identity was amplified and quite obvious. As a central communications tool plays an essential role in supporting and promoting research and activities in order to influence policy.

A new strategy and a website to match

We built a platform that highlighting our research work, its impact, policy engagements and public events. One of the main goals of this website is to showcase engage with our audience through our research, and position HEARD as a leading and credible research academic centre. The old website could no longer support these needs.

Here are some key features of the new website:

To make the homepage more useful and relevant to you on a daily basis, we’ve given you four different views: everything we’ve most recently published; opinion and analysis from our experts, public events and so forth.

Promoting key content: Key research areas have their own landing page as do our research publications, events, research policy engagements, education, partnerships and news sections. We can now highlight much more clearly the best work coming out in each of these areas.

It’s responsive: Meaning it works regardless what device you use – desktop, tablet, smartphone etc.

Better functionality and navigation: We have accumulated a vast collection of research material throughout the organisation’s 17 year existence. This will only grow. The new design and functionality allows us to highlight key content making it easier for you to navigate, locate, read and share content.

A work in progress: The website is not complete, we will encounter the inevitable early bumps in the road, and let us know what you think.

We’d love some feedback: Our website is main our channel of communications. If you have any queries, comments or experience any issues with the site, please send a mail heard@ukzn.ac.za

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