The HE HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) is South Africa's nationally co-ordinated, comprehensive and large-scale effort designed to develop and strengthen the capacity, the systems, and the structures of all HEIs in managing and mitigating the causes, challenges and consequences of HIV/AIDS in the sector and to strengthen the leadership role that can and should be played by the HE sub-sector. The HEAIDS Programme was first launched in 2000/2001 as a partnership between the Department of Education (DoE), the South African Universities Vice-Chancellors Association (SAUVCA) and the Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP). The intervention was planned as a donor funded initiative with initial financial support received from the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID) and supplemented by grants from other donors including Development Co-operation Ireland and the United States Centre for Disease Control. In 2005, HEAIDS was expanded under an agreement between the European Community (EC) and the government of the Republic of South Africa. The DoE is responsible for the implementation of HEAIDS and has contracted Higher Education South Africa (HESA) to implement the Programme on its behalf. The EC-funded HEAIDS (Phase 2) has a budget of _20 million with an implementation period of 51.5 months, finishing on 31 May 2009.This comprehensive HE response to HIV/AIDS will comprise two dimensions. The first dimension is directed at maintaining the institution's ability to continue functioning, thereby preventing HIV/AIDS from undermining its potential to operate and deliver mandated services. The second dimension relates to the institution's core functions of teaching, training, research, community engagement and service. HEAIDS (Phase 2) has identified six key result areas as being the main pillars of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS response by the HE sub-sector. The key result areas are: - To define the roles and responsibilities of the HEIs in addressing the pandemic, and to develop and implement appropriate policies. - To support the HEIs' human resource capacities and systems development with respect to the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. - To develop norms and standards for sustainable funding models and mechanisms at institutional level. - To identify and clarify the specific role to be played by educators and teacher education faculties. - To identify, contextualise and replicate "Best Practice" with respect to prevention, behavioural change, care and support, gender and curriculum integration. - To support and strengthen knowledge generation, assimilation and dissemination with respect to HIV/AIDS.