Speech title:
Botho/Ubuntu as a foundation for an African-centred and contextually relevant psychology

Tholene Sodi is a Registered Clinical Psychologist, currently employed as Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Limpopo (South Africa). He holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a PhD (Psychology) from the University of Cape Town. Prof Sodi serves on the Board of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). He is also a member of the (South African) Ministerial Advisory Committee on Mental Health. From 2004 up to 2015, he served the Professional Board for Psychology and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in different capacities. For example, between 2010 and 2015 he was vice president of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and chairperson of the Professional Board for Psychology.

Prof Sodi has published widely and has presented more than 70 papers at national and international conferences. In 2012 and in 2018, he was awarded a C rating by the National Research Foundation (South Africa). This six-year recognition award is given to scholars with a sustained recent record of productivity in their field and are recognised by their peers as having produced a body of quality work. He has also received a number of awards in recognition of his scholarly achievements. These include: the University of Limpopo (UL) Vice-Chancellor’s First Place Award for “Best Established Researcher in the School of Social Sciences” and, the PsySSA award for Mentoring and Developing the Careers/Studies of Students, Psychologists or Colleagues. Prof Sodi’s key areas of research interest include: culture and mental illness/health; suicide; behavioural medicine; mental retardation; and, mental health policy