From Data to Decisions: Prof Makhado Calls for a Rethink of Public Health Assessment

UNIVEN academic highlights authentic assessment, ethical learning analytics and stronger student engagement at the 2026 Public Health Discipline Colloquium Public health education must move beyond testing what students know to assessing whether graduates can interpret evidence, exercise sound judgment, and make defensible decisions in complex, real-world situations. This was the central message delivered by Prof Lufuno Makhado of the Department of Public Health at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) during the Public Health Discipline Colloquium hosted virtually by the University of South Africa (UNISA) on 21 September 2026