This project is a strategic partnership between the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa and Brown University's School of Public Health, being lead by epidemiologist Mark Lurie. It aims to enhance infrastructure and research investments at UCT's School of Public Health and Family Medicine. These investments will develop a new generation of rigorously trained HIV social scientists to address research questions of social science and public health importance, and to foster a culture of excellence in social science research on HIV/AIDS, providing sustainable interdisciplinary solutions to HIV/AIDS. 

Using a model of bi-directional exchange, the partnership leverages investments by building on natural synergies between the two institutions, which have a history of excellence, complementary strengths, and an existing foundation of successful collaborative research. The partnership draws on Brown's experience in social and behavioral science HIV/AIDS research, including Brown's recent development of a Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, to offer enhanced technical capacity for development of a similar new division at the University of Capetown.