Developing EDucation with Input from CoordinATED research students (DEDICATED)

Project details

Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Malawi need more staff with PhD and MSc., and course modules for new/revised study programmes. UiO is implementing a new master programme where students with backgrounds in both health and informatics are eligible and are learning from experiences of similar established programmes with heterogeneous student groups at partner universities. Also, research students and staff from the UiO are benefiting from joint field research in the partner countries. DEDICATED involves PhD and Master's students in research that is feeding into educational development at UEM, UDSM, UNIMA, and UiO. The research being carried out by the students is being coordinated within the theme of improving usability, interoperability, and data use of digital health systems for strengthened impact and sustainability. Results from the theses are feeding into the development of six course modules. These modules are being included in three new and one revised master programmes (one at each partner). The jointly developed modules are enabling the establishment of a system of credit transfer between the four partners, and students are able to follow the teaching online. DEDICATED is contributing to the curriculum development of these programmes and of a new PhD programme at UEM. In addition, work and collaboration under the DEDICATED project are directly strengthening a PhD programme established under the recently concluded NORPART-ETHIC project. Research students undertake two exchange visits (with exceptions) and have supervisors from both their home and host institutions. The supervisors from the four partners meet quarterly in workshops for course development and planning, as well as to summarise the research students' work. The PhD students also participate in some of these workshops. The project builds upon nearly 2 decades of collaboration between the four partners in the area of health information systems.