Orange Knowledge Programme
(Suivez ce lien pour information en francais sur OKP)
Update October 2024:
One possibility for obtaining a scholarship to study at KIT is through the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP). This programme aims to advance the capacity, knowledge and quality of both individuals and institutions of higher and vocational education.
The OKP programme ends December 31st 2024. There are no scholarships foreseen anymore for short courses or masters programmes in 2025 and the following years. We advise to look for other funding options.
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From Beriberi To Obesity – 100 years of the Eijkman Medal Foundation
Description
The Eijkman Medal Foundation was established on the 1st of October 1923 and has awarded 55 medals since then. In 1929, Professor Eijkman received the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on Beriberi, a disease caused by thiamine deficiency, and demonstrated the importance of vitamins for health. Today, we want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation and the role of the Netherlands in global health research with a short symposium addressing how the world has changed since Eijkman. It has shifted from malnutrition and a focus on infectious diseases in LMIC to the need to consider a broader spectrum of diseases and the emerging challenge of overnutrition. Speakers
- Prof. Teun Bousema, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre
- Dr. Bryan Gonzales, Ghent University
- Dr. Marinka van der Hoeven, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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Porous borders, mobile migrants and malaria elimination: Estimating population size and movements of artisanal small-scale gold mining workers in Suriname and French Guiana
Description
Porous borders and mobile migrant populations present challenges to malaria elimination worldwide. This study estimates the size and migration patterns of mobile migrants engaged in Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining on the Suriname-French Guiana border.
Using a mixed methods approach, including primary data (site visits, head counts, network analysis), and secondary data from 2020-2023, the study shows consistent estimates. Approximately 20,000 individuals are active in gold mining in Suriname, with an additional 11,000 in French Guiana, totaling around 31,000. Population turnover is approximately 10.5%, with 95% being newcomers.
These findings aid malaria elimination efforts and are of importance to any efforts to estimate hard-to-reach (mobile migrant) populations.
For further reading see our study on Mobile Migrant Population in Suriname.Speakers
- Dr. Pierre Pratley, Senior Advisor at KIT Royal Tropical Institute
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Simulation of Social Justice: How Could Games Demonstrate Health Equity
Description
Simulation games, provide a unique opportunity for participants to experience and reflect on the learning messages. With good facilitation, participants can be dynamically engaged in discussions that build on their experiences, instead of being passive recipients of the information. They’re fun and captivating, leaving a lasting impression on students long after graduation.
During the ECTMIH conference this year, we are glad to share examples of KIT’s games on health equity that we would love to share and demonstrate in an interactive session with the conference participants, such as the “Health Equity Walk”, and the “Health Resources Allocation Game”, that we would love to share and demonstrate in an interactive session with conference participants. These games are suitable for classrooms, workshops, meetings, or even fun game nights.
During the session, we will also reveal for the first time our new game,“SDHopoly: The Game of Health Equity”, a collaborative board game that we designed and piloted over the past two years. The game explores the social determinants of health through various situations and actions. Players work together to employ their unique abilities and develop solutions to minimize the health equity gaps.Speakers
- Mahdi Abdelwahab, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Dinu Abdella, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
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From principles to practice: a mixed-methods study on research integrity and research fairness in global health research
Description
Over the past decade, the ideals of research integrity and research fairness have gained considerable momentum in the global health research arena. Research integrity emerged in the late 2000’s as a response to the reproducibility crisis in science. Research fairness initiatives aim to ensure increased ownership of research agendas and research outputs where the research involves partners with unequal powers, decision making and resource capacities, thereby maximising on the local health research priorities. While both areas have been the subject of intense academic debate, there is little empirical data on practices related to integrity and fairness specific to global health.
This study, employing mixed-methods, sought to assess the prevalence and determinants of practices associated with research integrity and research fairness in both the Global North and the Global South. Overall, the results indicate that there is large variation in the frequency of practices related to research integrity and research fairness, but with little geographic variation. Our study also identified several structural, institutional and individual factors associated with these patterns, such as an inflexible donor landscape, research institutions’ investments in relationship building, guidelines and mentoring, as well power differentials and competition between researchers.Speakers
- Sandra Alba, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
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Redesigning Maternal and Newborn Health Service Delivery for You, With You
Qualitative methods in human-centered design for maternal and newborn health services in Niger, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, and Cote d’Ivoire
Description
Despite the efforts made in the past decades to improve the health of women and children; antenatal, perinatal, postpartum and newborn health services are not delivered with the quality and impact needed for societal transformation. In 2018, the Lancet Global Health Commission recommended Service Delivery Redesign (SDR) as one of the pillars to improve health system quality for Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) services. To that effect, a multi-country SDR feasibility study to identify potential model(s) of care that maximize the systems’ ability to deliver quality services was designed using a Human-Centered Design (HCD) approach.
This SDR feasibility study incorporates a qualitative methodology using HCD to carry out a community assessment. This offers insights from users and non-users who are elicited to share their stories and perspectives using open-ended questions and stimuli exercises. Conversation sparks with user groups are also carried out to validate ideas gained for the potential redesign models of care. User personas, users journey maps, and service blueprints will visualize a clearer understanding of the experience of users vis-à-vis the MNH services, where there are mismatches between services and needs, and where improvements in system organization are necessary.
Overall, HCD is an innovative approach to analyze existing gaps between the current state and the potential model(s) of the SDR for MNH services. The new potential models can lead to better outcomes for patients, improved satisfaction for patients and providers, and more efficient and effective Maternal and Neonatal services.Speakers
- Chantale Lakis, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
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Piloting a digital mental health solution in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Description
The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) are a complex and volatile region with a history of conflict and instability. The population is at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders due to continuous exposure to violence, displacement, and other limitations on opportunities. The Inuka method digitally connects clients to a certified lay coach for text-based sessions to identify their challenges and find solutions.
This is the first time that this type of therapy is being evaluated in this setting. The study aims to evaluate the Inuka intervention on self-reported mental health conditions at baseline, after completion of the sessions, and at 3 months follow-up, and to understand the acceptability of the intervention by users. Recruitment of the 100 participants for the pilot has started as of August 2023.
The platform was promoted through influencer posts on social media, brochures, and word of mouth as among the promotional methods. The platform was promoted through influencer posts on social media, as well as through brochures and word of mouth, as part of our promotional methods.
The pilot study intends to showcase how a digital tool can improve mental health in highly volatile contexts such as the OPT. Users’ experiences will provide information for future amendments to the app and allow for contextualization. If this pilot proves the intervention to be effective, a randomized controlled trial will be implemented.Speakers
Chantale Lakis, Advisor and Epidemiologist at KIT -
How to scale up novel health interventions? An emerging field
Description
The purpose of this symposium is to inform participants about the emerging field of scaling up health innovations through the presentation of case studies and sharing of experiences, addressing the multiple dimensions of the scale-up process. Case studies will address the process of scaling up of a psychological intervention for refugees, of tuberculosis care interventions and of district health management strengthening interventions. Participants will be engaged through a discussion/debate about the barriers and enablers of scaling-up health interventions in complex systems and contexts. Provocative statements will be discussed in small groups. Finally, the speakers will summarise the session and key lessons learned from the debate (e.g. complexity of scaling up, how to plan for scale up, systems perspective). Speakers
- Aniek Woodward, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, Research Associate
- Esmée Hessel, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Mirjam Bakker, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, Health Advisor
- Egbert Sondorp, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Beatrice Kirubi
- Dr. Stephen John, Founder, Janna Health Foundation, Nigeria
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Ensuring Mother and Child Health Care in a Protracted Crisis: The Experience of Afghanistan
Description
The sudden regime change in Afghanistan in August 2021, with the Taliban now leading the de-facto government, has been a major shock to the health system. Major threats to the system include the withdrawal of international funding, a massive drain of clinical and public health professionals, and concerns over the negative influence of a new government that lacks the competence to run the health systems. A further threat is the regime’s perspective on human rights that negatively affects the access to health care by women and minorities.
The SEHAT and Sehatmandi public health programmes were implemented consecutively in Afghanistan until 2021 to ensure universal access to health services and health equity, with a strong focus on maternal and child health care. With the Taliban take-over international donors withdrew development funding for these programmes and they are now being sustained in a reduced form, primarily through humanitarian funding streams.
In this session we discuss the resilience of the health system in providing universal access maternal and child health service considering three phases:
1) Absorbing the shock of the 2021 Taliban take-over
2) Adaptation of the health system in response to change, and
3) The possibilities that lie ahead to transform the health system given in the new political reality, to continue ensuring equitable access to health services, despite increasingly challenging living and working conditions for women.Speakers
- Margo van Gurp, MSc, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Abdul Majeed Siddiqi, HealthNet TPO
- Nasrat Ansari, PhD, independent researcher, SRHR
- Egbert Sondorp, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Sandra Alba, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
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Utilizing Geospatial Methods to Drive Health Service Delivery in the Era of Climate Change
Description
The session aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange among participants, providing valuable insights into geospatial methodologies using various sources of secondary data to inform, plan, and monitor health service delivery.
Presenters will showcase a suite of different spatial analysis and geoprocessing methodologies, which have been successfully applied in different contexts, including acute crisis response and Tuberculosis care. The focus will be on current uses of geospatial methodologies in directing health service delivery and climate resilience.
The session will also discuss health care planning for crisis preparedness and response, where existing health disparities are likely to be magnified and where resources need to be precisely targeted. Additionally, the session will present the conceptualization of these approaches for surveillance and projection of climate change related health impacts. The presenters will provide insights into the methodologies, while highlighting the challenges to improving, such as data caveats and knowledge exchange between different scientific disciplines.
The discussion will then focus on the use of these approaches in health service delivery considering the impacts of the climate crises, including vector-borne diseases, migration of vulnerable populations, and natural hazard-induced disasters. Participants will be invited to share their experiences in the field and encouraged to share challenges and potential solutions.Speakers
- Mirjam Bakker, Senior Epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Nicolas Ray, Institute of Global Health & Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva
- Ente Rood, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Fleur Hierink, Institute of Global Health & Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva
- Marc van den Homberg, The Netherlands Red Cross
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How SRHR integration in medical curricula (should) support equitable and rights-based health around the globe
Description
Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are globally under threat. Even in settings where SRHR policy and regulations are liberalized, people face barriers to access quality, non-biased and rights-based care. Given concerns in many countries of declining numbers of health care professionals able and willing to provide SRHR care, including around sensitive issues such as abortion care, SRHR for young people and for LGBTQI+ amongst others, the need to ensure early-career training is urgent and essential.
Also in less sensitive reproductive health issues the voice and rights of individuals are often challenged by cultural or political arguments of others. Failure to ensure that the next generation of professionals have appropriate levels of SRHR skills and knowledge of the SRHR discourse, will be a failure to commit to meeting the basic health care needs and rights of people.
This session aims to facilitate global and local learning on the developments and needs for SRHR in medical curricula. It provides a general overview on the global status of SRHR in medical curricula, lessons learned from previous initiatives to improve SRHR in medical curricula and a call to action for the inclusion of it.Speakers
- Irene de Vries, MD, MA, RMNCAH advisor, KIT Royal Tropical InstituteAnke van der Kwaak, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, SRHR advisorPrisca Zwanikken, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, SRHR and education advisorFerry (ENTOG) Boekhorst
- Goknur Topcu
- Dr. Ba Sidi Yaya, President of the Association of Private Health Schools of Mali
- Anne Vervoort, SeksHag, general practicioner
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Fighting falsified and substandard medicines: acting on evidence in Indonesia and Afghanistan
Description
In this session, we focus on the fight against falsified and substandard medicines in Indonesia and Afghanistan, presenting original studies on the size and nature of the problem and proposing solutions. How big is the problem? What are the root causes and what can be done to protect patients from poor-quality medicines? We will explore different methods for assessing the quality of medicines in both the public and private sector and present empirical examples of both random and risk-based sampling, patient perceptions, and an ongoing review of which medicines in the market are most at risk.
Our interactive session will center on what can be done to reduce the chance that falsified and substandard medicine penetrate the market and reach patients. We will focus on how research can be used to ensure the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products and the need for intergovernmental collaboration, between departments and sectors, regulatory bodies, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders who play a role in ensuring the quality of medicines. Ultimately, our goal is to contribute to the global effort to address the drug quality crisis and improve access to safe and effective medicines for all.Speakers
- Elisabeth Kleipool, Advisor Health Systems Strengthening, PhD, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Nima Yaghmaei, Epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Sandra Alba, PhD, Senior Epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
- Amalia Hasnida, Erasmus School for Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Dr. Maarten Kok, Erasmus School for Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Universitas Gadjah Mada
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Subnational burden estimation: methods and applications for locally tailored public health programme planning
Description
A key requirement for public health preparedness and planning is the availability of reliable estimates of health needs. Globally, emerging public health threats (i.e. COVID-19, influenza, disaster relief) rely on subnational estimates of disease burden to optimally allocate limited health resources and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions.
In this session, infectious disease experts and disease modelers will present novel methods and approaches to monitor and estimate disease burden at subnational level and will demonstrate how these estimates are used to inform public health decisions.Speakers
– Ente Rood, Senior epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
– Christina Mergenthaler, Epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
– Jake Mathewson, Epidemiologist, KIT Royal Tropical Institute
– Muhammed Semakula, Epidemiologist & Statistician; Rwanda Ministry of Health/ KIT Royal Tropical Institute
– Abdullah Latif, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant Manager; Mercy Corps Pakistan
– Nathaniel Henry, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation -
Track 5: Selected Challenges and Solutions in Public Health
COURSE DATES
SPRING 2025
03/03/2025 – 28/08/2026 (1,5 years or maximum 5 years)COURSE DATES
AUTUMN 2025
08/09/2025 – 28/08/2026DURATION
1-5 yearsCOURSE FEE
FULL-TIME 2025
EUR 13.200,-COURSE FEE
PART-TIME
EUR 13.850,-APPLICATION DEADLINE
Autumn 2025: 01/07/2025
Spring 2025: 31/12/2024Public health is a broad field of work and specific challenges require a diversity of competencies to contribute to solutions and improved health outcomes. This track is flexible, and can be completed within one year (full-time) or up to five years (part-time). This course is for you if you are eager to plan, take initiative, and even travel during your master’s programme. Because of its flexible scheduling, this track is also very suitable for people who want to combine study with work and other responsibilities.
Specialisation courses:
After your Core Course, you can design your learning trajectory to suit your interests and professional ambitions. Not only can you choose from courses offered by KIT for the other three specialisations, but also from hundreds of accredited advanced modules from tropEd. tropEd is a network of educational institutions based all over the world, that offer face-to-face or distance-based courses from a range of natural and social science disciplines, such as health economics, health promotion, leadership skills, and more. Where relevant, you can also take NVAO-accredited master-level courses at the VU and other universities in the Netherlands and Belgium. -
Track 4: Tailor-made track
COURSE DATES
08/09/2025 – 28/08/2026DURATION
1 yearCOURSE FEE
EUR 21.700,-APPLICATION DEADLINE
01/07/2025The tailor-made track is a full-time track that allows you to develop a balanced and personalised programme, based at KIT in Amsterdam. This track is specifically relevant for participants who wish to study at KIT without a pre-defined specialisation and want to tailor the MPH-HE programme to their professional needs.
Specialisation courses:
After the Core Course, you will make a personalised plan to meet the objectives of the master’s programme, looking at your specific expertise and education needs. You can opt for modules from any of the full-time specialisations and/or include other short courses at KIT, such as Digital Health, Geographical Information Systems for Global Health, and many more. -
Track 3: Epidemiology
COURSE DATES
08/09/2025 – 28/08/2026DURATION
1 yearCOURSE FEE
EUR 21.700,-APPLICATION DEADLINE
01/07/2025The epidemiology track offers a comprehensive curriculum, designed to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively analyse, evaluate, and address public health challenges from an epidemiological perspective. The track focuses on utilising geographic information systems to understand the spatial distribution of diseases, identify high-risk areas, and inform targeted interventions. It also provides you with the tools to design and analyse epidemiological studies, generate evidence for public health responses, and assess the effectiveness of interventions. Finally, it explores methodologies to assess the impact of health interventions, policies, and programmes to promote health equity and strengthen health systems. Through this track, you will develop a solid foundation in epidemiology and gain practical skills to contribute to evidence-based public health strategies and policies, aimed at achieving health equity on a global scale.
Advanced specialisation courses:
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Track 2: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
COURSE DATES
08/09/2025 – 28/08/2026DURATION
1 yearCOURSE FEE
EUR 21.700,-APPLICATION DEADLINE
01/07/2025Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are essential to fulfilling people’s rights to health and well-being, as well as to advance the related social development goals. Indeed, more and more national, and international policies, research, and programming are dedicated to the field of SRHR. Yet, challenges to SRHR persist, and in some cases are even exacerbated, due to resource constraints, political issues, conflict, as well as gender and other inequalities. In this track, you will examine the complexities of addressing SRHR challenges, with a particular focus on marginalised populations.
The SRHR track invites you to use a range of conceptual and inter-disciplinary perspectives, to critically (re-)consider how to develop and assess responses and policies that address SRHR. Cross-cutting throughout the track are discussions on the influence of gender, power, rights, equity, sexuality, disability, stigma, and ethics in advancing SRHR.Advanced specialisation courses:
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Track 1: Health Systems and Policy
COURSE DATES
08/09/2025 – 28/08/2026DURATION
1 yearCOURSE FEE
EUR 21.700,-APPLICATION DEADLINE
01/07/2025This track will enable you to analyse complexities in health systems and address the growing interconnectedness of national and international health policies, governance, and financing, as well as challenges around human resources for health highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, in recognition of post-colonial legacies, there is growing emphasis on organising people-centred and community-based responses to solving complex public health problems systematically and strategically. You will learn to better address these issues, providing evidence-based public health solutions for continuously improving the quality and responsiveness of health services, using an equal partnerships approach.
Advanced specialisation courses:
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OKP-LPDP: StuNed Joint Scholarship Programme
Update 15 February 2024
We have just been informed that two Master programmes are eligible for the OKP-LPDP StuNed Joint Scholarship Programme. Specially for Indonesia, the Orange Knowledge Programme is cooperating with Indonesian scholarship provider Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP) to provide Master’s Scholarships for Indonesian mid-career professionals.We are waiting for updated information for 2024 and will update this webpage as soon as we know more.
Eligible courses: Master of Science in Public Health and Health Equity Countries: Indonesia More information: Please note that citizens from Indonesia should apply for this scholarship and not the regular OKP scholarship. If interested in this opportunity please apply as soon as possible for academic admission to the course of your choice. (Please note that we have just received this news and Nuffic website is not yet updated. Keep an eye on this webpage and Nuffic for the most recent updates and instructions). Application period: For academic year 2023-2024 the application period for Indonesian citizens opens on 15 February 2023 and closes 30 March 2023. Applicants need to apply first for academic admission, and accepted applicants will receive a link to apply for the scholarship in Delta and LPDP application platform. (Most of the application process is similar to OKP scholarships). Nuffic page -
MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP)
The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) aims to build bridges through knowledge by offering opportunities for capacity building within organisations in the Middle East and North Africa.
Update 27 September 2024:Eligible courses round 15 October 2024: • Feminist Edge, Professional Development programme for Gender Trainers Countries: Algeria • Egypt • Iran • Iraq • Jordan • Lebanon • Libya • Morocco • Syria • Oman • Tunisia • Sudan • Mauritania
(Syria: Syrians can apply for a scholarship if they are living and working in one of the other countries listed above)More information: Details on the MENA MSP scholarship differ per country. Please visit the Nuffic website and click on your country to find all details per country. Here you will also find instructions on extra forms you have to prepare. We advise you to start up this process already as it may take some time.
You have to apply for academic admission to KIT first, if you are admitted you will receive a link to a link to Delta, the online system, where you can apply.
Attention: application deadline academic admission is 7 October 2024
Nuffic website: MENA scholarship (MSP)Information en francais: Unfortunately there is no separate information on this scholarship in French. Application deadlines: Scholarship application period to be confirmed: deadline 15 October 2024
Academic admission deadline 7 October 2024 -
Japan/ Worldbank scholarship for Japanese nationals
KIT is on the list of eligible institutes of the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGS programme) . This programme awards scholarships to Japanese nationals studying a study related to development. (And to individuals from World Bank member countries to undertake graduate studies at universities renowned for their development research and teaching. It is vehicle for knowledge sharing and capacity building in the developing world).
Eligible courses: Masters of Science in Public Health and Health Equity. Check the website. Countries: Available for nationals from Japan studying outside Japan a study related to development.
(Also available for nationals from list of Worldbank countries. See title above ‘around the world’ for more information)More information: Visit the Worldbank website ‘Japanese Nationals) for all application information. (Application instructions Worldbank for Japanese Nationals. Please follow these very detailed instructions to the letter!) Extra flyer with information Application period: For academic year 2025-2026 the application period for Japanese nationals is open from 17 February until 18 April 2025 (noon Washington time). Please note that we are under KIT/ Vrije Universiteit. Only applicants with academic admission to KIT can apply.