AFRO-NETS> Health & Development Policy, Planning and Management Courses

["Sanjoy K. Nayak" <sanjoy_k_nayak@hotmail.com>]

Health & Development Policy, Planning and Management Courses
------------------------------------------------------------

Centre for Development Studies 
School of Social Sciences 
University of Birmingham, UK 

Courses to be delivered in 2003: 

Development Policy, Planning and Management (DPPM) - 11-week course: 
26th April to 12th July 2003 

NEW: Training of Trainers - 1-week course: 
14th to 18th July 2003 

NEW: Health Service Planning & Management - 1-week course: 
21st to 25th July 2003 

[All of the above courses - 13-weeks: 
26th April to 25th July 2003] 

Development Policy, Planning and Management (DPPM)- 11-week course: 
27th September to 13th December 2003 

Course participants: 

The Development Studies Course in Selly Oak was established in 1974. 
The courses are specially designed to meet the needs of people work-
ing in many kinds of non-government and international aid organisa-
tions as well as government departments. Development of a "Postgradu-
ate Certificate in Development Policy, Planning and Management" is 
under consideration. 

The courses are unique in terms of their learning and teaching 
strategies (please see below) and courses covered (Health and Social 
Development; Civil Society; and NGO Management). The participants 
come mainly from: 

* The staff of voluntary development associations, religious and 
  secular development programmes, and support agencies operating at na-
  tional and international level;

* Those whose work includes direct management responsibility for de-
  velopment programmes run and managed by their national governments;

* People engaged in administering aid, either in developing countries 
  or in donor countries;

* Expatriates working, or preparing to work, with development pro-
  grammes in other countries;

* Community action groups and civil society organisations;

* Those engaged in education and the raising of awareness about de-
  velopment and justice.

The programme encourages applications from women, minorities and peo-
ple with disabilities. 

Course contents: 

The Selly Oak Course in Development Policy, Planning and Management 
is unique because each course is developed 'flexibly', according to 
the particular needs and concerns of participants. Main themes in-
clude the following and are linked to Course Modules:- 

* Understanding poverty, and the processes of underdevelopment and 
  development; 
* Reviewing social and human development and social policy issues in 
  developing countries;
* Examining possibilities for social, political and economic changes 
  at all levels;
* Incorporating gender; and environmental issues in development pro-
  grammes and policies;
* Considering relationships among globalisation, the state and civil 
  society;
* Improving practical management skills in planning, budgeting, im-
  plementation, and evaluation;
* Developing institutions and building capacity of organisations in-
  cluding advocacy skills;
* Analysing the nature, sources, motives and effects of aid, and the 
  role of voluntary agencies;
* Exploring motivation and communication, and becoming more effective 
  in working with others, handling conflict, problem-solving and lead-
  ership.

Learning and teaching methods: 

The course approach is based on parallels between adult learning and 
the processes of development itself. Analysis of experience from 
within the class is therefore a rich source of learning, and impor-
tance is given to participatory learning methods throughout the 
course. The study methods are intensive and participatory. The course 
also works with a variety of practical case studies and film materi-
als from developing countries. 

These methods include discussion in large and small groups, concept 
presentations and formal lectures, recommended reading, case studies, 
programmed and structured exercises, role play, simulations, group-
work, video films, external visits, and individual and group assign-
ments. Methods are constantly interchanged to provide stimulus, to 
reinforce learning and to meet individual needs. 

COURSE MODULES 

Development Policy, Planning and Management 

Module 1: 
Development Theory, Policy and Practice 
International Relations and Trade; Civil Society and NGOs 

Module 2: 
Planning and Management of Organisations 
Development Co-operation, Capacity-Building and Partnership 

Module 3: 
Participatory Project Planning and Management 
Working in the Community; Gender and Development 

Module 4: 
Specialist Options for Research Projects: 
Social Development & Policy; Poverty & Participation; Health & Popu-
lation 

Dates for future courses: 

28th April to 11th July 2003 
29th September to 12th December 2003 
26th April to 9th July 2004 
27th September to 10th December 2004 

Current Fees: 

Total cost £4,000 (£3,500 for tuition and use of facilities of both 
the main and Selly Oak campus of the University of Birmingham, plus 
£500 for field visits and training materials). Please note: the tui-
tion fee may increase from April 2003. Accommodation costs on campus 
will differ but range from approximately £1,600 to £1,900 for accom-
modation and all meals. There is a very limited amount of self-
catering accommodation available on campus at a cost of approximately 
£700. In addition, it is recommended that participants should be pro-
vided with a personal allowance of at least £65 per week to cover the 
purchase of warm clothing, books and items of personal expenditure. 

Announcement of two NEW 1-week intensive courses:

Training of Trainers (ToT)
Dates: 14th - 18th July 2003 

This short intensive 1-week course provides an opportunity for devel-
opment managers to understand and practice the processes and skills 
of adult education and human development to help them improve their 
managerial, training and development competencies. It applies adult 
learning theory and relates it through experiential learning methods 
to practice. The course explores the generic management skills of fa-
cilitation, communication, presentation, coaching, mentoring and 
training effectively. 

Course fees: £600 (including training materials) 


Health Service Planning & Management (HSM)
Dates: 21st - 25th July 2003 

This short intensive 1-week course provides an introduction to tech-
niques of health service planning and management in developing and 
transitional countries. Health planning is the process by which deci-
sions are made as to which health services should be provided, where 
and how. The course specifically focuses on planning and management 
of delivery effectiveness, equity and community participation. 

Course fees: £600 (including training materials) 

Both the courses are best taken after studying the Centre's 11-week 
intensive course on 'Development Policy, Planning and Management'. 
However, each can be studied independently, for which previous ex-
perience in international development is required. Teaching methods 
include presentations, group work, individual work, training practice 
and videos. 

Fees for those attending the 13-week intensive course will be £5,000 
(i.e. 'Development Policy, Planning and Management', 'Training of 
Trainers' and 'Health Service Planning and Management' Courses). 

Scholarships: 

Many overseas aid agencies in Europe and North America have given fi-
nancial support to course participants in the past. Different donors 
have varying application procedures, but almost all of them require 
that an applicant should first obtain the firm recommendation of his 
or her employing organisation. The chance of a favourable response is 
greatly increased if the applicant?s organisation is already collabo-
rating with the donor agency in existing development programmes. Re-
quests for scholarship support should be submitted directly to the 
donor agencies. However, once we have received a completed applica-
tion form we might be able to offer advice on possible sources of 
sponsorship. 

Applications and Further details: 

Application forms are available on request from the Departmental of-
fice as given below. Urgent enquiries may be sent by fax or e-mail. 

Wendy Banner 
Course Administrator, Development Studies 
The University of Birmingham 
Selly Oak Campus 
Elmfield House, Bristol Road 
Birmingham B29 6LQ, UK
Tel: +44-121-415-2295
Fax: +44-121-415-2296
mailto:w.banner@bham.ac.uk
http://www.bham.ac.uk/socsci

--
To send a message to AFRO-NETS, write to: afro-nets@usa.healthnet.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: majordomo@usa.healthnet.org
in the body of the message type: subscribe afro-nets OR unsubscribe afro-nets
To contact a person, send a message to: afro-nets-help@usa.healthnet.org
Information and archives: http://www.afronets.org