WORKSHOP ON CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC HEALTH: Review of Kaunas Workshop Linas Šumskas MD, PhD Assoc. Professor, Coordinator for International Public Health Training Projects Faculty of Public Health kaunas University of Medicine Kaunas, Lithuania Yerevan, June24-27, 2003

Workshop: Time and Place Time: February 12-16, 2003 Place: Faculty of Public Health, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

Kaunas Panoramic View

KEY PRINCIPLES for a School of Public Health 1. Unifying principle of “new public health” 2. Principles of institution building, sustainability and critical mass in terms of human and financial resources 3. Principles of relevance/excellence and dependence/ independence 4. Principle of continuity of educational approaches in teaching at the undergraduate, postgraduate and continued levels 5. Principle of training and research interlinking, involvement of applied research and consultancy services 6. Role of SPH as a forum for an informed public debate 7. Principle of a visionary role of higher education institutions 8. Principle of elucidating the underlying values and defending fundamental human rights 9. Principles of a European/Regional identity and Local/National identity

Workshop: Time and Place Time: February 12-16, 2003 Place: Faculty of Public Health, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

Workshop: Participants 20 participant from 7 countries: Albania - 1 Georgia - 4 Macedonia - 2 Moldova - 4 Kazakhstan - 3 Tajikistan - 3 Uzbekistan- 3

Workshop: Characteristics of the Participants 20 participant from 7 countries: Members of the faculty16 Representative of MoH3 OSI representatives1

Workshop: resource Persons 7 resource persons from 6 countries Walter Burnet – Rollins SPH, Atlanta, USA Julien Goodman – ASPHER office, EU Sergey Boyarsky – Sechenov Academy, Rusia Ramune Kalediene- Kaunas SPH, Lithuania Linas Sumskas – Kaunas SPH, Lithuania Judy Overal - SPH, Tulane University, USA Ted Tulchinsky – Braun SPH, Jerusalem, Israel

AIM of the Workshop To promote a new public health approache in both academic and practice frameworks, in keeping with accepted international standards

OBJECTIVES OF THE Workshop 1. To observe and study the process of development of the Faculty of Public Health at Kaunas University of Medicine, assessing critically the successes and pitfalls 2. to propose a core curriculum structure for an MPH program for adaptation/modification within each of the new schools of Public Health, based on experience and conditions of each country for MPH graduates

Objectives of the Workshop 3. to identify support needed by graduates to meet expectations of potential employers in the development of new public health; 4. to assess and promote the impact of core curriculum, duration and timing of studies, the cost of the education, availability of part time studies, networking of graduates and “lobbying” for the future career development.

Topics for Working Groups discussions n MPH Mission statement and Core Curriculum development n Curriculum/teaching committees and research requirements of MPH program n Career paths and employment opportunities for MPH graduates n Preparing stakeholders to employ MPH graduates

Other Topics n SPH as a tool for health policy development n Research work and research Forum n Health mangers as the target group for public health training

Questions for the country groups n What are the faculty resources currently available for the development of the proposed MPH in your country? n How can you prepare future teacher of public health? n What resources, preparation are needed in your School for teaching public health core topics?

Design of WORKSHOP  Presentations by resource persons: standards, experience, theories  Presentation of local experience in Kaunas: facilities, departments, curriculum, contacts with staff  Presentations on national situation: situation, progress, expectations  Work in national groups: development the ideas, plans and strategies  Work in mixed international groups: exchange of ideas and experience  Presentation of group work tasks: discussions, exchanfe of ideas

Expected outcomes of the Workshop Development of an outline of a draft plan for an MPH degree/certificate program within a School of Public Health setting in each country, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of concrete country conditions

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Questionnaire survey: Questionnaire: 3 quantitative questions 4 qualitative questions Respondents: 17 questionnaires returned Response rate: 85 %

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Questionnaire survey: 3 quantitative questions 1) Your relationship to the the SPH? 6 categories of answers 2) Ranking the topics discussed in the Workshop by usefulness? 3) Ranking of topics which should be discussed in more details in future?

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Questionnaire survey: 4 qualitative questions 1) List topics you would like to include for future seminars 2) List curriculum areas you would like to discuss in future training the trainers sessions 3) Write comment on strength of the Workshop 4) Write comment on weaknesses of the Workshop

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants The most useful topics of the Workshop. Session and Discussion Titles Means of Ranks Mission Statement And Core Curriculum Development 6.3 The Kaunas Experience 5.9 Discussion of Faculty Committees 5.5 Building Career Paths for MPH Program Graduates 5.4 Discussion of Research Forums 5.2 Do Health Managers Need Public Health Training in MPH Programs? 4.8 Integrating and course competencies 4.5

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants The topics of the Workshop which should be discussed in future. Session and Discussion TitlesMeans of Ranks Mission Statement And Core Curriculum Development 6.79 Building Career Paths for MPH Program Graduates6.07 Discussion of Research Forums6.00 The Kaunas Experience5.79 Discussion on the Faculty Committees5.57 Do Health Managers Need Public Health Training in MPH Programs?5.36 Integrating and course competencies5.21

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Strengths and weaknesses of the Workshop. Strengths 1. The possibility to exchange the information and experience; 2. Very good organization (transportation, hospitality etc.); 3. The possibility to compare the Kaunas experience with experience in different countries; 4. Good selection of Workshop topics; 5. Very attentive and pleasant organizational staff; 6. A lot of possibilities for further collaboration between Workshop participants. Some weaknesses 1. The lack of time for site seeing in Lithuania; 2. The lack of time for practical work during the Workshop; 3. The more detailed coverage of topics is recommended; 4. Difficult to discuss in working groups due to diversity of problems in each country.

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Strengths and weaknesses of the Workshop. Strengths 1. The possibility to exchange the information and experience; 2. Very good organization (transportation, hospitality etc.); 3. The possibility to compare the Kaunas experience with experience in different countries; 4. Good selection of Workshop topics; 5. Very attentive and pleasant organizational staff; 6. A lot of possibilities for further collaboration between Workshop participants.

Evaluation of Workshop by Participants Strengths and weaknesses of the Workshop. Some weaknesses Due to short on site teaching period 1. The lack of time for site seeing in Lithuania; 2. The lack of time for practical work during the Workshop; 3. The more detailed coverage of topics is recommended; Due to diversity, large scope of problems 4. Difficulty to discuss in working groups due to diversity of problems in each country.

Proposals of Workshop by Participants The main topics, which could be covered in future OSI Workshops 1. Public health practice and organization of public health system; 2. Organization of research work and preparation of Master Theses; 3. Evaluation and assessment of training needs; 4. Management of the Schools of Public Health; 5. Recommended fields in the core curriculum of the MPH; 6. Development of distance learning; 7. Biostatistics and research methods; 8. Health economics and management.

Kaunas Workshop Conclusions Kaunas Woorkshop reached the objectives:  experience of Kaunas Public Health Faculty was analyzed  mission and the core curriculum of SPH were discussed;  career paths and employment opportunities were analyzed;  future career development of PH professionals was described. 2. Workshop provided unique possibility for to meet and discuss for the faculty, representatives of MoH, seniour and young generation of specialists to work towards common vision.

Kaunas Workshop Conclussions Workshop provided possibility to develop ideas and to make plans for future collaboration between institutions. 4.Background for continuing of project on “Building training capacities in NIS” was strengthened