EPHAM - Enhancing Public Health Capacity through Academic Network and Mobility

The EPHAM project is mainly established to work on the following goals:

• To strengthen the capacity of clinical nursing and public health master programs at VID, AU, and JU
• To increase staff and student mobility between the partner institutions
• To develop joint courses in Participatory Action Research and Global Health that emphasizes on trans-disciplinary and evidence-based research.
• To improve the qualification of female graduates and minimize the faculty gender-gap at AU and JU

The EPHAM project will perform the following main activities to meet the end goals of the project:-

• Develop two joint courses in Participatory Action Research (5 ECTS) and Global Health (5 ECTS)
• Student mobility of 40 master students, with at least 50% female, between Norway and Ethiopia
• Staff mobility of 20 academic staffs between Norway and Ethiopia for guest lectures.
• Academic staff will participate in supervision of 30 master students
• Publish at least 5 articles in open access peer-reviewed journals jointly
• E-learning materials developed to facilitate teaching and learning
• Three workshops/seminars on teaching and research methodologies conducted for academic staff and postgraduate students at VID, AU, and JU
• 5 joint annual international project meetings conducted between VID, AU, and JU

VID team

Maria Tendenes (2024-) maria.tendenes@vid.no

Tobias Tungland (2024-) tobias.tungland@vid.no

Abdallah Abudayya (2022-) abdallah.abudayya@vid.no

Åshild Gjellestad (2022-) ashild.gjellestad@vid.no

Tesfaye Hordofa Leta (2022-) tesfaye.leta@vid.no

Vidar Tobiassen (2022-) vidar.tobiassen@vid.no

Nima Neolene Wesseltoft-Rao (2022-) nima.wesseltoft-rao@vid.no

Mardon Breimoen (2022-2023) mardon.breimoen@vid.no

Mari Digernes (2022-2023) mari.digernes@vid.no

Ingrid Hage (2022-2023) ingrid.hage@vid.no

Zada Pajalic (2022-2024) zada.pajalic@vid.no

Ulrik Thomsen (2022-2023) ulrik.thomsen@vid.no

 

AU team

Gonfa Moti Geda (2022-) gonfa.moti@ambou.edu.et

Asnake Ararsa Irenso (2022-) abbaabokku@gmail.com

Mulu Kitaba Negawo (2022-) mulu.kitaba@ambou.edu.et

Begna Tulu (2022-) tulubegna@gmail.com

 

JU team

Temesgen Kabeta Chala (2022-) temesgen.kabeta@ju.edu.et

Asresash Demissie (2022-) asresash_yy@yahoo.com

Muluneh Getachew (2022-) muluneh.garedew@ju.edu.et

Abebe Abera Tesema (2022-) abebe.abera@ju.edu.et

Kora Tushune (2022-) korakito@gmail.com

• VID Specialized University, Norway
• Ambo University, Ethiopia
• Jimma University, Ethiopia

Successful Kick-Off workshop for the EPHAM-NORPART Project

EPHAM stands for Enhancing Public Health capacity through Academic network and Mobility and is a five-year project between VID, Norway & Ambo and Jimma Universities (AU and JU), Ethiopia. On the 23rd –24th of May VID hosted the first EPHAM-NORPART project Kick-Off workshop in Bergen. Delegates from Norway and Ethiopia came together and started the planning of this exciting collaboration.

Day One- introduction and further development of two courses

The Kick-off workshop was officially opened by the Health Faculty dean, Elisabeth Jeppesen.

The workshop lasted for two days. Day one consisted of presentations of the of the background history of the EPHAM project by project coordinator, Tesfaye Leta. This was followed by presentations of the respective partner institutions: VID, AU and JU. Receiving this frame of the EPHAM project, it gave the participants inspiration and understanding of future opportunities for collaboration.

The next on the program was an introduction of Work Package (WP) 1; The development of two courses- (i) Global Health Nursing and (ii) Participatory action Research (PAR). Leader of WP1, Prof. Zada Pajalic gave a short presentation of the status. This was followed by a group work where participants assessed the description of the plan for the two courses. The group work was based on Story Dialogue Method (SDM) having Prof. Zada as an inspiring facilitator. Data collected through the SDM will be published in an article.

Furthermore, different e-learning methods and the possibility of linking the methods to the two courses developed was presented by WP2 & 5 by Vidar Tobiassen and Mari Digernes (SLIPP). SLIPP will in fall 2022 arrange a course on how to use different e-learning and digital platforms both for the EPHAM project team members, students taking the Global Health Nursing and PAR course, and for other up to 40 academic staffs from AU and JU.

Day one was completed with a dinner at a restaurant in one of the historical buildings in Bergen, Bryggen Tracteursted which is around 325 years old.

Day two – implementation, collaboration, and coordination

On day two the WP team leaders presented their respective WP’s aim, activities, responsible team member and possible implementation strategies. Thereafter, the workshop’s participants worked in groups on how to collaborate and coordinate between each WP. During the group work the participants answered questions about which WPs they think their own WP will collaborate with, and on what and how they will collaborate. Finally, each group were asked to list 2-3 implementation strategies.

The next on the program was a group work where participants discussed how to minimize the risk of brain drainage, how to motivate students to mobility, how the respective partner institutions can utilize the acquired knowledge, skill, and experiences of the students, and finally the strategies for the follow-up of student mobility alumni. At the end of day two, there was a round tables reflection and evaluation of the two days intensive workshop. Tesfaye Leta closed the workshop and welcomed all participants to the next EPHAM annual meeting that will be hosted by AU, Ethiopia from 14-18th November 2022.

We had a good time, and a productive workshop with successful deliberations. We are all looking forward to the next annual meeting in Ambo in November 2022.

 

Ambo University has successfully organized the 1st annual and stakeholder meetings for EPHAM-NORPART project (2022-2026) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from November 19 to 20, 2022. The stakeholder meeting was held for half day with a participation individual from the EPHAM project, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, the leadership of Ambo University, the Zonal media Office, and NGO's affiliated with Ambo University. On the annual EPHAM project meeting, 5 participants from the three partner institutions—Ambo University (AU), Jimma University (JU), and VID Specialized University (VID)—participated. During the meeting, the participants have made a network within the network and committed to work together to enhance the goal and sustainability of EPHAM.

On the second day of the annual meeting, delegates from the three partner institutions had assessed the EPHAM project status and what has been achieved so far, evaluated EPHAM milestone and made a plan for the 2023 calendar year and proposed possible strategies.

EPHAM –NORPART project has successfully conducted training on digital learning platform

Providing digital learning platform training was one of the 10 EPHAM project working packages (WP5). Following the annual project meeting, the 1st round digital learning platform training was also provided for AU and JU academic staff from November 21–22, 2022. Due to the current situation in Ethiopia, both the annual/stakeholder meeting and training were held in Addis Ababa. A total of 21 participants, 11 AU and 10JU attended the digital learning training both face to face and online. Vidar Tobiassen, Mari Digernes, and Dr Tesfaye served as the trainers.

On November 21, 2022, the digital learning training participants were able to visit the outskirt of Addis Ababa to spent some time together and build their network. Building their networking continued during the beautiful cultural dinner organized at Kaku Mame Oromo cultural Restaurant in Addis Ababa. On November 22, 2022 on the closing of the training the Rasamba Hotel where the annual/stakeholder meeting and training was conducted offered a fare well Ethiopian Coffee and cake.

The 2nd EPHAM annual/stakeholder meeting will be held in Ethiopia, in November 2023, with JU as a main local organizer and hopefully in Jimma; the historic city of the five Gibe state. The 2nd round digital learning platform training will be held in November 2024.