Mogamma Shaheed Soeker (PhD) is a Professor and Deputy Dean (Clinical and Community Engagement) in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at the University of the Western Cape. He has extensive experience in the area of vocational rehabilitation and paediatric occupational therapy. He has published several articles and chapters in international peer reviewed journals and books. Dr Soeker has been awarded an NRF (Y2) rating in 2017 and (C3) rating in January 2021 and has been called upon to be a keynote speaker at various international conferences. 

Contact details:

Professor MS Soeker

Email: msoeker@uwc.ac.za

Tel: 021 959 9339

Motivational note 

To be an occupational therapist and to work in the higher education sector is a “calling and a privilege”

List of publications (latest 05 publications)

1. Soeker, M.S, Jainodien, A. & Smith, M. (2025) The challenges that individuals with MDRTB and TB experience when returning to work after completing TB treatment in the Western Cape, South Africa. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation. DOI: 10.1177/10519815251330123

2. Soeker MS. & Jainodien, A. (2025) The development of a vocational rehabilitation program to assist individuals with MDRTB and TB in returning to work. Occupational Therapy International. DOI: 10.1155/oti/9914578

3. Monareng, L., Soeker, MS., Naidoo, D. (2025) Successful self-employment in microenterprises for persons with disability in a rural setting. African journal of Disability.  DOI: 10.4102/ajod.v14i0.1564

4. Monareng, L., Soeker, MS., Naidoo, D. (2025) Persons with disabilities perceptions on self employment barriers, facilitators and solutions in a rural setting- an exploratory and qualitative study. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation. DOI: 10.1177/10519815251330122

5. Engelbrecht M, Van der Walt J, Van Biljon H, Soeker, MS. (2025) Occupational therapy intervention for Cerebral Palsy- a raid review. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy. DOI: 10.17159/2310-3833/2025/vol55no1a8  

Summary of current positions/titles:  

• Chairperson: Interprofessional Education Unit (IPEU)

• Chairperson: Africa Interprofessional Education Network (AfrIPEN),  

• Co-Chair & Steering Committee Member: InterprofessionalResearch.Global Communications Working Group,  

• Member of the Knowledge Mobilization and Policy Advocacy Committee for InterprofessionalResearch.Global – 2024 to current. 

• Member of the Partnership Development workgroup for Interprofessional.Global – 2024 to current.  

• Member of the International Scientific Panel of the Primary Care Academy, 5 year project in Flanders, aiming at developing a core set of primary care competencies (to be translated into primary care entrustable professional activities for education) and at describing the concept of ‘a primary care professional identity’ – 2025 to current.  

• WHO Regional Office for Africa - Curriculum Development Advisory Group (CDAG) member, undertaking an adaptation of the WHO Global Competency Framework for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the development of prototype competency-based curricula (CBC) for selected health professions for the African region.  

• International Advisory Group member: Interprofessional-Future (IP-Future) Project: TVEPS (Centre for Interdisciplinary Workplace Learning) - University of Bergen and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). 

Brief background/research focus: Prof Gérard Filies is a registered Occupational Therapist by profession with a B.Sc. (Occupational Therapy) degree from the University of the Western Cape. He also has an M.Phil. (Health Sciences Education) Master’s degree from Stellenbosch University and a PhD in the Child and Family Studies programme at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The title of his PhD study was Development of an interprofessional education model that aims to instil the core competencies of interprofessional collaborative practice in allied health students’ curriculum.  At UWC, he is employed as a full-time Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Interprofessional Education Unit (IPEU) in the Faculty of Community & Health Sciences. Research areas of interest are aligned to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) , 4 (Quality Education) and include: Interprofessional Education, Service-Learning, Health Promotion, Primary Health Care and Community-Based Education. Prof Gérard Filies as part of a team was appointed as convenor for driving the process for registration and accreditation of the Postgraduate Diploma in Interprofessional Education in Health – a first of its kind in the Western Cape, if not a first in South Africa. The programme was launched in August 2021. This is aligned to Agenda 2063, Aspiration 6, by getting the African Health Professionals to relying on their potential to work collaboratively in addressing the health inequalities in our country.  In alignment with the Decadal Plan through future-proofing education and skills, Prof Gérard Filies has been invited by Nelson Mandela University, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Cape Town, Universities of Missouri and Winston Salem State University in the United States of America to develop their Interprofessional Education curriculum in 2018 - 2023. He was also the secretariat of the African Interprofessional Network (AfrIPEN) from 2017 to 2018 and currently the Chairperson of AfrIPEN. Prof Filies is involved with other global organisations like Interprofessional Research.Global (IPR.Global), Interprofessional Global (IP.Global) and The Network Towards Unity for Health (TUFH). He is currently the Co-Chair of IPR.Global Communications Working Group and was selected as one of twenty-five people across the world to present his research at the All Together Better Health (ATBH) X Reinvented Webinar Series. He participated in the first Townhall meeting of the review of the Interprofessional Core Competencies developed by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) in Washington and represented South Africa (aligned to Aspiration 7 of Agenda 2063 – Africa as a strong and influential global partner). Prof Gérard Filies is currently engaged with health innovation initiatives through exploring with 3D printing and how this could be used in interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

At UWC, he is employed as a full-time senior lecturer and Chairperson of the Interprofessional Education Unit (IPEU) in the Faculty of Community & Health Sciences. Research areas of interest are aligned to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) , 4 (Quality Education) and include: Interprofessional Education, Service-Learning, Health Promotion, Primary Health Care and Community-Based Education. Dr Gérard Filies as part of a team was appointed as convenor for driving the process for registration and accreditation of the Postgraduate Diploma in Interprofessional Education in Health – a first of its kind in the Western Cape, if not a first in South Africa. The programme was launched in August 2021. This is aligned to Agenda 2063, Aspiration 6, by getting the African Health Professionals to relying on their potential to work collaboratively in addressing the health inequalities in our country.

Contact details:

Professor G Filies

Email: gfilies@uwc.ac.za

Tel: 021 959 2617

Dr Luzaan Africa is a Senior-Lecturer and Interprofessional Clinical Supervisor in the Interprofessional Education Unit within the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Luzaan joined the unit in 2016 after working as a physiotherapist for nearly two years in the private sector. She holds a BSc in Physiotherapy, an MSc in Physiotherapy, and a PhD in Physiotherapy. She is actively involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interprofessional curriculum offered to health and social science students across three faculties at UWC. She also serves as the conference chair of the 2026 Africa Interprofessional Education Network Conference. Her research interests include interprofessional education and collaborative practice, primary health care, and health professions education. 

Contact details:

Dr L Africa

Email: lkock@uwc.ac.za

Tel: 021 959 1725

List of publications (latest 05 publications)

1. Solomons, R., Africa, L., Solomons, J., & Kraak, W. (2026). Global practices of anthropometric and physical fitness testing in senior women's rugby union and rugby sevens: A scoping review. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17479541261457558. 

2. Africa, L. (2026). Re-routing the curriculum: The interprofessional education Passport for interprofessional identity formation. African Journal of Health Professions Education, e4462-e4462. 

3. Filies, G. C., & Africa, L. (2026). Reframing interprofessional competencies through Ubuntu: A decolonial proposal. Medical Teacher, 1-5. 

4. Frantz, J. M., Africa, L., & Magidigidi-Mathiso, L. (2026). Faculty development programmes to enhance health professions education in Africa: A systematic review. African Journal of Health Professions Education, e3857-e3857. 

5. Africa, L., Jaffer, L., Filies, G., Waggie, F., Nyati, L. H., Gamiet, S., & Nyalungu, P. (2026). Navigating an interprofessional curriculum: the interprofessional education passport and the quest for an interprofessional identity. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 40(2), 261-271.

6. Achmat, G., Africa, L., Erasmus, C., Kanaley, J. A., & Leach, L. (2026). Physical activity guidelines for firefighters with coronary heart disease and multiple health risk behaviours: A modified Delphi study. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences (AJPHES), 32(1), 23-48.

I graduated with a BA Social Work degree from the University of the Western Cape in 1993 (UWC). I worked as a professional social worker in various fields of social work, ranging from children’s homes, faith-based organisations doing marriage counselling and facilitating community projects. I also worked for the Department of Social Services and Poverty Alleviation (now known as the Department of Social Development) for 7 years and was also seconded to the juvenile section at Pollsmoor Prison as part of a national inter-departmental task team established to reduce the number of children awaiting trial in prisons. I also joined the teaching and learning team at a community-based organisation (ISWA) that offered training to community workers and social auxiliary workers. In 2006, I entered academia at the University of the Western Cape in the role of practice education coordinator. I continued in this role until 2014, when I took up a permanent lecturing position at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape. I returned to UWC in 2018 in a lecturing position and have remained in this position since that time. During these periods, I completed a Master's in Child and Family Studies from UWC and am currently enrolled for a PHD. My professional interest has been in the areas of youth in conflict with the law, youth development, digital technologies and social work practice . Since my employment at universities, I have been actively engaged in community engagement activities. These included the placement of students to facilitate community-based activities and creating opportunities to participate in community outreaches. In 2024, I initiated the establishment of a Community Outreach Club. The primary goal of the Club is to create a platform for social service profession students to plan and execute student-led community outreaches. The students also serve in different roles in the club, which further enhances their organisational and leadership skills. Since the establishment of the club, the students have reached over 3000 persons in various communities in Cape Town, Brandvlei and Genadendal. My role in the club is to serve as a mentor to the students. The club activities do not have any credit-bearing rewards for the students. It serves as an extra-curricular activity for students. The DREAMS project is a collaborative mentoring project facilitated by university students. This was also a project adopted by the club in 2026. 

My motto in life is: Don’t find an excuse, find a solution.