Education collaborations
The Office for Global Health work with our international partners on a variety of education collaborations. These can be as diverse as practical one-off workshops, train-the-trainer and specially tailored programs.
Here are a few examples of the education collaborations we are currently working on with partners in:
CAMBODIA
The development and implementation of a postgraduate course in oral surgery and externship opportunities for local students in Cambodia
Since 2009, the Faculty of Dentistry has been working with the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh to develop sustainable & innovative postgraduate training in Cambodia. The postgraduate training of Cambodian dentists consists of a formal course in Cambodia combined with blended e-learning/clinical teaching. The blended course, with major component developed through e-learning resources, allows 24/7 access to the learning modules and intense clinical exposure in-country. The partnership also includes student externship opportunities for University of Sydney students to enhance their international experience.
The main aims of this education partnership are to: improve oral health and services in Cambodia (increased case mix and load, reduction in treatment complications and inappropriate treatment); build research collaborations and assist in internationalisation of our students.
Inquiries relating to this project can be directed to: or
CHINA
Huo dao lao, xue dao lao - Lifelong learning at Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School - 活到老，学到老
The University of Sydney Medical Program and Shanghai Jiao Tong Medical School are working in partnership to explore how the educational principles of problem-based learning and curriculum integration can be translated to the Chinese medical education context.
In November 2007, we held a workshop at Renji Hospital, Shanghai introducing the concept of problem-based learning which was warmly received. In July 2008, fourteen basic science and clinical teachers spent three weeks in Sydney experiencing problem-based learning and beginning to develop cases for their home curriculum. In 2009, we will continue to work together to consider how the new curriculum might be implemented and evaluated. Joint teaching and exchanges are planned for the future. Inquiries relating to this project can be directed to .
TIMOR LESTE
Building critical care workforce capacity via a professional development training collaboration
In 2008, the Office for Global Health (Sydney Medical School) established a health education collaboration with the Timorese Ministry of Health to build the critical care and emergency workforce capacity in Timor Leste. The program commenced in 2009 when a multidisciplinary team of University of Sydney affiliated doctors and nurses from Sydney Medical School, Northern Clinical School, Sydney Nursing School and ICU at Royal North Shore Hospital ran two skills workshops and a train-the-trainer session in Dili National Hospital Guido Valadares. The program continues to expand with a combined tutoring team of Australian and Timor Leste tutors running similar skills workshop in the National Hospital and the District Referral Hospitals for Hospital, District, Community Health Centre and Ambulance Service Staff. To date, four critical care workshops, two “train-the-trainer” education sessions and three follow up “on the job” training days in Timor Leste have been developed and implemented.
Funding for establishing the collaboration and the development and implementation of the critical care capacity building program has been provided by AusAID's Public Sector Linkages Program (PSLP), Sydney Medical School, Sydney Nursing School and the University's International Program Development Fund (IPDF).
Inquiries on this project can be directed to .
Timor Leste Health Leadership Program
Through the support of the AusAID Australian Leadership Award (ALAF), the Office for Global Health is providing leadership training to Timor Leste’s health-related professionals. The Health Leadership Program aims to build capacity by providing short-term placements and training programs in Australia that will enable the delivery of evidence based health care, management, education and policy within the health care system of Timor Leste. Each Fellowship plan is individualised to suit the specific learning goals and expertise of the Fellow. Emphasis is placed on exposing Fellows, via various means such as practical placements and training courses, to methods, theories, techniques and approaches that they can implement as well as use to train and lead others when they return to Timor Leste.
The individual plans include: (1) Placements with appropriate organisations that provide them with practical training in their chosen field; (2) Relevant courses or conferences that enhance existing knowledge and expose the Fellows to new methods and theories; (3) a "Project for Change" that is relevant to their work and can be implemented in their organisations back home; (4) an Orientation week that includes sessions on the Australian political and health systems, leadership, effective team management, presentation and communication skills; and (5) a weekly skills development course that includes sessions on writing, SWOT analysis, critical thinking and comprehension.
The inaugural cohort of six Timorese Fellows completed in the program in 2009 and in 2011 the second cohort of 10 Timorese Fellows participated. Fellows included: Chief of Staff for the Minister of Health; Director of Oecusse Referral Hospital; Director of Ryder Cheshire Klibur Domin (Rehabilitation); Senior Dentist, Centro Community Health Centre; Regional Supervisor for TB Program, Ministry of Health; several nurses; public health managers and allied health workers. The program continues to be strongly supported by the Minister of Health in Timor Leste and the Timorese Ambassador for Australia.
Mentors and placements for the cohorts of Fellows come from organisations such as: University of Sydney (Sydney Medical School, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences; School of Public Health); Royal North Shore Hospital; Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; Westmead Hospital; Sydney Eye Hospital; Canterbury Hospital; NSW Department of Health; Cerebral Palsy Alliance; Mary McKillop Foundation; Royal Adelaide Hospital; East Timor Eye Program - Volunteer Optometrists (Hobart).
The ALA Fellowships program is made possible through the support of AusAID; the University of Sydney; the Australian based health organisations and mentors who provide guidance to the Fellows during their Fellowship; and the health organisations from which the Fellows come.
Photo L-R: Dr Dilhani Bandaranayake - Manager - International Relations, Maximiano Neno, Joaquim Soares, Professor Bruce Robinson - Dean of Medicine, Moises de Andrade, Lucio Babo Soares, Mr Abel Guterres - Timor Leste Ambassador in Australia.
Inquiries on this project can be directed to .
National Laboratory strengthening to undertake communicable disease surveillance in Timor Leste
In 2011, Professor Peter McMinn developed a program with the Ministry of Health in Timor Leste that builds the capacity of the National Laboratory in the identification of communicable disease pathogens of national, regional and global significance. The program twins the National Laboratory in Timor Leste with the laboratories of Sydney Medical School and associated teaching hospital and public health laboratories at the University of Sydney. The National Laboratory is responsible for surveillance, investigation and research on communicable disease in Timor Leste. By enabling the National Laboratory to access the expertise of the clinical, research and diagnostic microbiology laboratories at University of Sydney, this twinning program will equip the NL with the expertise to implement effective laboratory surveillance for major communicable disease threats in Timor Leste via a number of initiatives.
A number of training workshops have been run since inception and a cadre of trained staff has been developed. In addition two research surveillance projects have been initiated: the National Parasite Prevalence Survey and The filariasis/hookworm control program.
Funding for this laboratory strengthening program initiatives is provided by WHO, AusAID and Asia Development Bank (TBC).
Inquiries on this project can be directed to .