Governance

HE2AT Center Management Structure

The HE2AT Center aims to become a center of excellence in heat-health research, capacity building, and engagement by using population health science and data science to enhance the health of communities in Africa and beyond. The African-led coalition focuses on Integrity, Quality, Continental Relevance, Innovation, Impact, and Partnership.

The Centre contains three Cores (administrative, data management and analysis, and teaching and engagement), each with a PI/Co-PI and co-lead.

Wits RHI is HE2AT Center's legal umbrella. Wits RHI has a Shared Services Centre (SSC) to meet donor grant administration and financial supervision needs. The SSC offers administrative, accounting, financial, human resources, payroll, legal, and regulatory assistance to the HE2AT Center Directorate. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with partner organizations outline services supplied.

The HE2AT Center is coordinated by a multiple-Principal Investigator (MPI) leadership structure (Figure 1). The management structure of the HE2AT Centre promotes contacts and cooperation among academic and non-academic partners from Africa and the United States.

Figure 1: HE2AT Center organizational structure

1.2.1 Executive committee

An Executive Committee, comprised of the Director (Prof. Chersich), the Deputy Director (Prof. Luchters), Hub Administrator (Dr Gloria Maimela) and supported by Deputy Hub Administrator (Mr. Zororo Mavindidze) provides the organizational direction and will have the responsibility for the overall conduct of the Program.

The Executive Committee will meet bi-weekly, allowing for agile decision-making to address the immediate issues of the Center.

1.2.2 Steering Committee (SteerCom)

The Executive team plus four additional Co-PIs together form the Steering Committee. The PIs/Co-PIs, as members of the Steering Committee, will share responsibility for the scientific direction of the HE2AT Center and for the allocation of resources and funds. At each fortnightly meeting, they will discuss the administrative and scientific status of the Program, progress and future plans.

More specifically, the purpose of the Steering Committee meeting is to:

  1. Discuss the overall performance of the HE2AT Center, focused in particular on technical performance, milestone delivery and financial accountability. Should there be abnormalities found, remedial action will be undertaken to address poor performance;
  2. Future budgeting and changes in the structure will be discussed, and this may include informing the Institutions of a potential change in site or staff capacity;
  3. Discuss any aspect of grants management, compliance and quality control that requires review, and discussion;
  4. Ensure that issues relevant to NIH and other Research Hubs are discussed and efficiently communicated;
  5. Identify any key issues that require communication to all or sections of the Center staff and determine the messaging;
  6. Review all recommendations arising from the Executive Committee meetings as these impacts the performance and compliance of the Center.