Short courses and master's programmes
KIT organizes a wide range of training activities, in Amsterdam or in-country, in the fields of health, gender, rights and development.
In the Netherlands, KIT’s international courses provide an excellent opportunity for managers and leaders from different countries to exchange experiences and discover new ways of thinking and reflecting on their own systems and organizations.
Outside the Netherlands, KIT responds to requests for specific training courses, tailored to clients' needs and offered in-country. Clients include educational and research institutes, NGOs and local or national governments and ministries.
Approach
Needs-based
Our courses have been developed in response to needs in the field. The course contents are therefore regularly updated to reflect ever-changing needs and current debates.
Practical
The courses stress practicality. Material for case studies is often based on the experience of course facilitators and is regularly updated. Participants are continuously invited to share and reflect on the situation in their home country, and apply theories and best practices to that situation.
Interactive
Participants develop their professional skills through a variety of learning and teaching methods, such as discussions in class, group work on case studies, writing assignments, library and internet use, student presentations, group projects, tutorials and self-study. The diversity of professional and geographic backgrounds among participants and facilitators favours international exchange and network building.
Up-to-date experts
Course facilitators are selected on the basis of their ongoing work in the field of international development and public health and are up-to-date with current developments in the discipline. Facilitators come from within KIT or from outside the Institute. External facilitators are chosen for their specific expertise and to facilitate international networking.
Focal points
- We take an up-to-date approach to complex international development and health issues.
- Learning is interactive and practice-oriented with an interdisciplinary focus.
- Diverse professional and geographic backgrounds of participants and facilitators favour international exchange and network building.
- All participants, whether starting their careers or in mid-career, will develop their professional competencies.
Example
Health courses
International Course in Health Development (ICHD/ MPH). This 12-month programme leading to a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) has been preparing public health professionals for 30 years. Offered in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Since 2008 a Master of Public Health - Specialzation in HIV/AIDS is offered at KIT.
Master’s In International Health (MIH). A flexible master’s programme offered across Europe by members of tropEd, a network of European institutions for higher education in international health. Offered in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Netherlands Course in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (NTC). A 3-month programme preparing health professionals for work in developing countries. It combines tropical medicine with skills in management and public health. Offered in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam.
Intensive Short Course on Health Sector Reforms and Financing (HSR&F). This annual course aims to help senior managers in analysing the context and scope of the current reforms and financing options going on in the health sector of developing countries.
The Golama course prepares Dutch military doctors for deployment in peace keeping operations abroad. The 2- week programme emphasizes health aspects of humanitarian aid in crisis interventions and natural disasters.
Other short courses, from 1 to 3 weeks in length, include Health Systems Research, Human Resources Development, Sexual and Reproductive Health, including HIV/AIDS, and Control strategies for infectious and non-communicable diseases. They can be taken separately or as part of the ICHD and MIH.
The courses listed above are regularly offered at our training centre in Amsterdam.
Gender, rights and development
Building capacity for rights: democracy and development in Africa is a 10-day programme to build capacity for advancing rights within development and activist organizations.
The Regional training course on gender, citizenship and participatory governance for the Middle East and North Africa Region aims to proive a gender analysis of governance, citizenship and related institutions and to familiarize participants with strategies to ensure that gender equality is prioritized in the governance agenda.
Sustainable economic development
Décentralisation rurale et gouvernance locale, is a 3-week course on rural decentralization and local governance offered jointly by KIT and Wageningen International.
The International training course on value chain development (VCD) is a 2-week programme addressing issues of sector and chain analysis, pro-poor chain development and the empowerment of farmer organizations in value chains. The course is offered in West Africa.
Examples of recent tailor-made courses
Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community (PRDUC): a 2-week international training course on rational medicines use, jointly organized by KIT, WHO, the University of Amsterdam (UVA) and international experts at partner organizations.
Quality improvement for low and middle income countries: a 2-week course, originally developed and organized in Ghana in 2003. It was adapted in 2006 for a group of Iranian health managers. (2006)
Evaluation of public health programmes in Brazil. (2005)
The public health challenges of the introduction of ARVs: a 2-week course on the opportunities, constraints and challenges of the current up-scaling of antiretroviral treatment in the context of developing countries. (Uganda, 2005)
Poverty, health and the Millennium Development Goals: a 2-week course on the practical challenges to reach the poor and to achieve the MDGs in Zambia. (2006)
Gender awareness training for UNESCO education and culture staff, the first compulsory gender training required by the UN agency. (2005)
Gender mainstreaming and governance and rights training for UNDP in Timor Leste and Sudan. (2006)
Gender and inclusive citizenship course for the Middle East and North Africa. (2006)