The development and agreement on appropriate One Health Core Competencies (OHCC), both National and Regional, is the critical first step that needs to be taken in order to transform the future workforce and provide the new graduate species required by governments and other employers working in the One Health arena in the future.
- Institutional curriculum mapping
Concurrent with OHCC development, the VOHUN faculties will work with national and international OH professionals to map their current curricula for OH related programs, activities, and courses. In addition to these, it will be essential to map the policy issues (both institutional and governmental), and staff competencies, that need to be addressed before changes to curricula or training can be made. After gathering information on any existing or previous curriculum mapping activities, and on current institutional and regional needs related to OH curriculum mapping activities, a proposed national training workshop will be held to provide training in curriculum mapping skills.
- Strengthing teaching and learning methodologies
In order that the OHCCs can be effectively integrated into institutional curricula, it is vital that a gap analysis is conducted in each faculty to determine the existing teacher skills, and the teaching methods and styles used, and to use this to identify appropriate methods to address the gaps.
There is a need for the integration of appropriate applied teaching methodologies to ensure that OH skills and attitudes are effectively modeled and conveyed. As gaps are identified by assessment against OHCCs and curriculum mapping, the appropriate methodologies will be applied to support lecturer/trainer and student understanding and practice of the OH approach.
Numerous methods of integration will be utilized, including, but not limited to, problem-based learning (PBL), Scenario-based learning (SBL), interactive lectures, participatory field exercises and journal clubs, simulations, debates, and trans-disciplinary case studies and group discussions. Through twinning and faculty exchange between International OH professionals and VOHUN faculties, as well as among VOHUN faculties, partners will model and facilitate practice and evaluation of innovative teaching methods. An emphasis will be placed on utilizing skills and applying OH behaviors, not only within a discipline, but also across disciplines within the country and the region.
- Alignment of OHCCs with existing curricula
The VOHUN faculties will have developed appropriate and relevant nationally relevant OHCCs, and their concurrent curriculum mapping activities will have identified any gaps in current academic programs related to OH. As well, through government and private industry discussions a workforce assessment will guide the investment decisions. The VOHUN faculties and international OH professionals can then work closely together to assess the results and other identified faculty needs against the locally developed OHCCs, and will work collaboratively to address any gaps and other issues.
Twinning will occur both amongst VOHUN faculties, and between the international OH professional universities and VOHUN faculties, depending on the strengths and weaknesses revealed in the analysis phase. Workshops, trainings, guest lectures, and faculty member partnering and exchanges will be some of the methods used to ensure alignment of the OHCCs with the existing curricula. In addition, new modules and innovative inter-disciplinary courses will be developed collaboratively between institutions and faculties to ensure that Network members are ideally positioned to address current and future government and other employer needs.
Attendance at conferences serves a number of important functions for network member faculties, including professional development for junior faculty and postgraduates, opportunities for networking and raising the profile of senior faculty, opportunities for government advocacy, and opportunities for development of collaborative research programs. In addition, conferences provide excellent opportunities for network members to highlight the network and emphasize its achievements.