Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2012 2013

Details for Mechanism ID: 14545
Country/Region: Tanzania
Year: 2013
Main Partner: National Institutes of Health
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Implementing Agency
Funding Agency: HHS/NIH
Total Funding: $250,000

The goals and objectives of this project address three main areas: curriculum development, faculty development, and partner/stakeholder development. To improve curricula, a comprehensive review is underway of the all masters programs curricula of the School of Public Health and Social Sciences (SPHSS) of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences. Other activities include developing core course curriculum vs electives, creating course timetables, and strengthening course content in public health research. Faculty capacity is enhanced through collaboration with leadership to strengthen teaching skills focused on student-centered active teaching, use of a teaching collaborative, student mentoring, and research. The project identifies and develops relationships with local researchers and strengthens links with GOT ministries and other stakeholders with interests in public health.

The immediate geographic coverage is Dar es Salaam but long-term impact will effectively cover the entire country. Target populations are SPHSS faculty but will also involve all MUHAS faculty and regions as health care professionals matriculate. The cost-effectiveness strategy engages more SPHSS faculty in the training process to assume a leadership role in new teaching methodologies. More training will be provided using interactive technologies (e.g., video, web, CD Rom) as appropriate and when IT infrastructure is in place. Additionally, the major plan as time progresses is that the process will have been transitioned to SPHSS by giving their faculty/administrators necessary skills and training to assume "ownership" of the partnership. Monitoring and evaluation involve student focus groups, alumni surveys, faculty focus groups, employer surveys and stakeholder interviews.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $250,000

One of the major activities of this collaboration involves faculty development related to teaching methodologies, active learning, and the role of research in public health. This represents both a structural and cultural change in the way Tanzanian faculty teach and their students learn. The implementation process is incremental and takes continued training and experience. The first step involved presenting the concepts of active learning and providing data to support the concepts; secondly, multiple small group sessions for SPHSS faculty working together with a D/BU mentor to develop the necessary skills to implement changes in the classroom. The third step involved 3 faculty visiting Dartmouth/BU for advanced sessions and meetings with US faculty and staff.

In September 2011, a new phase of faculty development that involves an innovative faculty exchange program was initiated. A SPHSS faculty member came to the U.S. to guest lecture in the Dartmouth MPH course "Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health. In 2012, D/BU faculty will go to Dar es Salaam to co-teach/lecture in SPHSS classes. The long-term plan is to expand this activity so that each of the SPHSS degree programs will have this experiential learning experience. The major structural challenges in broad terms include understanding concepts of group teaching, paucity of teaching resources, new competency requirements, modes of delivery/instructional technology, and change to learner-centered from content-centered approach.

A core-course curriculum has been established and revisions to the core course syllabi will be completed. Work on the non-core course syllabi development will begin in 2012. Additional tasks involve synchronization of timetables across core courses, continued facilitation of teaching of content through faculty exchanges, presentation of the core curriculum to the University Senate for review and approval, agreement on system structure (semester vs. module), deciding how to deliver modules, defining minimum credit for degree programs, planning for required resources and distribution, as appropriate, and development of new masters degree courses as identified in the gap analysis and strategy plan.

These are time consuming and involve face-to-face interactions requiring international travel. The major expenditures for the budget allocation involve faculty/staff salary support, travel (international and domestic), and training support materials (text books, other publications, interactive guides, lecture recoding software, and interactive case development (for video/web/CD Rom). Additionally, the major plan as time progresses will be to transition the process to the SPHSS by giving their faculty/administrators the necessary skills and training to assume "ownership" of the partnership.

Monitoring & evaluation will involve student focus groups, alumni surveys, faculty focus groups, employer surveys, and stakeholder interviews.

Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $250,000
Human Resources for Health $250,000