The Partnership’s approach to teaching/learning 

TICH courses are oriented towards community-based approaches to health and development.  Students take responsibility in TICH partner communities or agencies to manage programme activities determined and driven by the partners themselves.  They are encouraged to use evidence-based methods in facilitating effective action for change at the agency or community level, improving the state of well-being for all.  Partners actively engage in policy analysis, advocacy, negotiation and political / socio-economic action to address underlying causes of ill health.   

TICH introduced a major paradigm shift in its curriculum. Advocating an integrated approach to equity in health and development, TICH has moved from institutional training to a practical community and problem-based model. Our courses have an institutional resource base and support, but much of the learning takes place within partner communities and agencies, focusing on their priorities, problems, needs and capacities.

TICH Students

Educational experience is further enriched by the diversity of our student body. TICH students are a heterogeneous group, coming from different parts of the world. Students range in age from recent college graduates to mid-career professionals and may be community health workers seeking new skills to enhance their role as bridge builders into a more secure and sustainable future.

Advantages of the curriculum 

Programs managed by students are closely evaluated, documented and disseminated to promote replication, impacting on policy development. Brain drain from programs is reduced as participants continue to contribute to their own programmes, agencies and communities as part of their training. Their training institute is essentially without walls, permitting location of the training activities as close to the community context as possible.

 

Participating facilitators, mentors and graduates become part of an international network of community-based health and development experts involved in specific programmes all over the world. The training program is dynamic and constantly  reviewed to ensure relevance to emerging issues in health and development. Students have opportunities to transfer credits earned at TICH to partner universities.

Uniqueness of the curriculum

Students engaged in programme operations as workers, not observers or researchers, receive on-the-job training. To support this vital element, the training approach emphasizes:

·         Community and problem-based learning

·         Participatory action research (PAR) for transformation

·         Partnership/leadership development while being responsive to the needs of learners and partner communities

KISUMU - The Director, TICH in Africa, P.O. Box 2224, Kisumu, Telephone, 057-2023972/2024871,
Email: academics@tichafrica.org or adminkisumu@tichafrica.org
NAIROBI - P. O. Box 60827 - 00200, Nairobi, Telephone, 020- 576804, Email: tichnbi@wananchi.com