Professor Werner Cordier of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Department of Pharmacology has charted an extraordinary academic path that exemplifies the pursuit of excellence in both scientific research and education. Having recently completed a second PhD, this time in Curriculum and Instructional Design and Development, Prof Cordier represents a new generation of academics who bridge disciplinary boundaries to enhance higher education in South Africa.

His journey began in 2015 when he became a permanent lecturer in UP’s Department of Pharmacology. While already possessing expertise in his scientific field, it was an academic induction course that sparked his interest in education as a discipline. 

“I was introduced to passionate educationalists who spoke about their practice and the responsibility that educators have towards students,” he recalls. “The experience left a mark on me, and I enrolled for the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE ) to gain more insight into education as a science.”

After completing both a PhD in Pharmacology and the PGCHE in the same year, Prof Cordier was selected for the Sub-Saharan Africa FAIMER Regional Institute fellowship for health professions education and leadership. This experience solidified his commitment to education as his life’s purpose.

Rather than resting on his laurels, Prof Cordier chose to pursue a second doctorate focusing on Curriculum and Instructional Design and Development, a decision that surprised many. His research addressed a pressing need in pharmacology education for health professions in the South African context.

“My research was based on a problem that I’d encountered within my practice,” Prof Cordier says. “Little is available in the literature to guide the development of a practitioner-specific pharmacology curriculum for dietitians, nurses and physiotherapists in South Africa, which leaves me as curriculum designer in a tough spot. Drawing from this overarching problem, and a moral obligation to solve it, I designed my project to determine the most appropriate pharmacology competencies needed for each one of these professions through a national consensus approach.”

Balancing his roles as lecturer, researcher and, at times, Acting Head of Department during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging. But the support he received from supervisors, colleagues and family kept him motivated. His research culminated in three nationally relevant frameworks for pharmacology education and recommendations for curriculum modification at UP.

These outcomes are already influencing programme design at the University, with the Bachelor of Dietetics undergoing significant changes.

“We are already in discussion with the Department of Human Nutrition about implementing the revised curriculum in their programme as an integration with their core discipline. This will lessen the credit load of students, while affording them more contextualised and case-based learning opportunities.”

Looking ahead, Prof Cordier has ambitions to one day become Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning and eventually Vice-Principal: Academic. His research into pharmacology competencies continues through the work of his postgraduate students, exploring the expansion of practice scopes for various health professions.

For colleagues considering a similar path, Prof Cordier offers the following advice: 

“Find a PhD topic that resonates with your passion and what you believe will have a tangible impact in the area of life that you wish to improve. Find a community of practice that resonates with you, but make sure the group isn’t an echo chamber of your thoughts, but one that challenges you with every interaction to be better, think differently and keep your standards high.”