Professor Anri Human, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Pretoria, was honoured with the distinguished Teaching Excellence Laureate Award for her outstanding contribution to teaching and learning. Celebrated for her innovative teaching approaches, academic leadership and impact in paediatric neurorehabilitation, Professor Human continues to elevate excellence in physiotherapy training at UP.

Professor  Human holds a BPhysT (cum laude), an MPhysT, and a doctorate, as well as a PGCHE (cum laude). She is responsible for teaching all undergraduate paediatrics modules and providing clinical supervision to third- and fourth-year students during their paediatrics blocks. The University of Pretoria appointed Professor Human in 2022 to design and implement an integrative, comprehensive undergraduate paediatrics programme, with a mandate to expand this specialised focus into the postgraduate curriculum. Since October 2024, Professor Human has taken on the role of postgraduate coordinator in the Department of Physiotherapy, contributing to the growth and mentorship of emerging researchers.

Professor Human’s research expertise centres on paediatric neurorehabilitation, with particular international recognition in neuromuscular disorders (NMD). Her research encompasses respiratory management, inspiratory muscle training, and clinical practice guidelines for children with neuromuscular conditions. She is a well-published scholar, with 23 peer-reviewed outputs to her credit—18 journal articles, four conference abstracts, and one book chapter—and has presented her work at both national and international congresses.

Professor Human’s international standing is demonstrated through her role as the only African representative on clinical practice guideline committees and her service on TREAT-NMD and European Neuromuscular Centre expert panels. Her expertise led to her appointment as an honorary member of the certified CureDuchenne Physical Therapist Programme, USA, and inclusion in the Lancet Neurorehabilitation Working Group. Professor Human has developed educational resources for postgraduate specialisation programmes and patients for the South African Society of Physiotherapy, the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa, and CureDuchenne. She chairs the South African Society of Physiotherapy’s Research Committee (since 2023), is a member of the International Confederation of Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapists (since 2019), and serves on the prizegiving and scientific committees for TREAT-NMD (since 2018) and the World Muscle Society congresses (since 2023). She has also presented webinars for healthcare professionals in the USA, India, and Uganda, demonstrating her commitment to knowledge sharing across continents.

Professor Human implements innovative teaching methods, such as gamification and online teaching characters like ‘Jerry the giraffe’, to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. Her holistic teaching approach fosters critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, which are essential attributes for developing reflective, 21st-century healthcare professionals. Her commitment to educational innovation is further evidenced through her multimodal teaching approaches, incorporating videos, audio content, and community engagement initiatives. Beyond academia, Professor Human actively raises awareness about neuromuscular disorders through media appearances on the radio and TV. She participates in fundraising initiatives like the Muscle Runner team (Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa). She also serves on multiple national and international scientific committees, bridging academic excellence with meaningful community impact.

Her teaching and research excellence have been recognised through awards such as Best Oral Presentation at the South African Society of Physiotherapy Congress (2022); Elsevier Poster Prize at the World Muscle Society Congress (2022), the School of Health Care Sciences Teaching and Learning Merit Award (2023); Best Oral Presentation for Advanced Academic Staff at the University of Pretoria Faculty Research Day (2024); and the Faculty Teaching and Learning Award (exceptional category for Health Sciences, (2024).