| Title: |
Health Policy and Systems Analysis |
| Keywords: |
Planning and programming
Health systems
Health Policy
|
| Country: |
Switzerland
|
| Institution: |
Switzerland - Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute, Basel
|
| Course coordinator: |
Dr. Daniel Cobos
Carmen Sant Fruchtman
Barbara Bürkin
|
| Date start: |
2025-06-16 |
| Date end: |
2025-06-20 |
| About duration and dates: |
Application deadline: 12 May 2025 - Phase 1 – Prep assignment 19 May – 13 June 2025 - Phase 2 – Hybrid face-to-face week / 5 full days: 16 June – 20 June 2025 - Phase 3 – Final Assignment 23 June 2025 – 1 August 2025 |
| Classification: |
advanced optional
|
| Mode of delivery: |
Blended-learning
|
Course location:
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Socinstrasse 57, CH – 4002 Basel, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 61 284 81 15, Fax +41 61 284 81 06
Website: www.swisstph.ch
tropEd representative: A. Hoffmann, B. Peterhans
axel.hoffmann@swisstph.ch |
|
| ECTS credit points: |
6 ECTS credits
|
SIT:
TOTAL SIT: 180 h
- 1) Phase 1: 50 h (distance-based learning, incl. 1h synchronous welcome and Q&A session)
- 2) Phase 2: 40 h (hybrid face-to-face contact hours and self study)
- 3) Phase 3: 90 h (distance-based learning, incl. 1h synchronous presentation) |
|
| Language: |
English
|
Description:
After successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
● Apply systems thinking approaches and tools to analyze and address challenges in health system strengthening, incorporating a gender and intersectional lens;
● Develop a personal framework for working with and improving health equity through the application of systems thinking in resource-constrained settings.
● Articulate the importance of health systems, health policy and systems thinking for health equity;
● Define the functions, values, components, and key actors of health systems, and explain how systems thinking enhances their performance;
● Describe how different actors interact in the policy and implementation processes and how these interactions influence policy outcomes |
|
Assessment Procedures:
The final grade will be based on four components:
Preparatory Assignment (20% of total mark):
Students will be provided with several readings to prepare for the hybrid face-to-face week.
They will answer questions related to the content of the readings, creating one presentation slide per question as their response. On the first day of the on-campus period, participants will be chosen at random to present and discuss one question in the class.
Group Oral Presentation (30% of total mark):
During the hybrid face-to-face week, students will work in groups of 3–4 to analyse and develop case studies.
On the final day of the on-campus phase, each group will deliver a 10-minute oral presentation based on their case study.
Final Individual Assignment (40% of total mark):
At the end of the self-study phase, students will individually develop a concept note of 2500-3000 words addressing a health policy or systems problem using a systems thinking tool.Students need to analyse and describe the design of a health system, describe the importance and relevance of a specific health system challenge and analyse it by using one of the health thinking tools covered during the course.
The assignment will be presented in a 10-minute individual oral presentation.
In-Class Participation (10% of total mark):
Active engagement during the hybrid face-to-face week, including contributions to discussions, group work, and other interactive activities.
A failing mark ( |
|
Content:
The following topics will be covered:
● Overview of health systems and systems thinking, including their importance for population health and health equity
● Governance frameworks and their role in health system performance
● Health system financing
● Systems thinking for health systems strengthening – concepts, methods and applications
● Intersectional systems thinking – concepts and application
● Measuring the performance of health systems using systems effectiveness
● Universal Health Coverage and the role of primary health care |
|
Methods:
During the two distance-based phases, students will engage in self-paced learning based on the instructions and materials in the course Learning Management System (LMS).
● Phase 1: Self-directed study and two short assignments, according to the instructions. Facilitation will be provided via a forum on the LMS and during the synchronous welcome and Q&A session via Zoom.
● Phase 2: One week of synchronous learning activities including presentations by lecturers and students, short exercises, group and individual work on case studies, and plenary discussions. The class structure and teaching methods employed will be interactive in nature, and class participation is actively encouraged. Small group work findings will be presented throughout the week.
● Phase 3: consists of 90 hours of independent study; students have to write a concept note using systems thinking to analyze a health system or public health problem of their choice.
In the pre- and post-campus phase students interact with each other and the facilitators using a forum on the electronic platform. Facilitators can be approached at any time during these phases to get feedback to the specific tasks. |
|
Prerequisites:
Bachelor's degree and at least two years' relevant work experience and English; language level TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0 or equivalent, or native speaker or completed higher education in English (with written proof).
Students need a reliable internet connection to follow the preparation phase and the post-campus (assignment) phase. No specific software licenses are needed. |
|
Attendance:
Maximum of 25 students per course; maximum number of tropEd students: 8
Minimum number: 10 students |
|
Selection:
For tropEd students: First come, first served principle. Latest application deadline: 12 May 2025 |
|
Fees:
Students who are enrolled in a tropEd Master programme pay the reduced fee of CHF 2’950; other students pay CHF 3’350 (CHF 492 per ECTS credit point). |
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Major changes since initial accreditation:
The course coordinator has changed. The content and learning objectives were slightly adapted to fit the new course coordination team. |
|
Student evaluation:
Students particularly appreciated the high level and dynamic nature of the interaction between lecturers and the course participants. They also liked the themes covered and the quality of the content as well as the practical application of the themes through case studies to translate the theory into practice.
Time management issues were criticized by some students. They felt it was difficult to follow online lectures if they were taking too long. |
|
Lessons learned:
Not to mix on-site with online participants for the on-campus assignment. To make the content more practical to allow for a link with daily work. |
|
tropEd accreditation:
Accredited in February 2015. Reaccreditation GA Rabat (EC TelCO) June 2020; Reaccreditation Online GA, Jan. 2025. This accreditation is valid until Jan. 2030. |
|
Remarks:
This module is offered regularly as a core-module in Swiss TPH’s MBA in International Health Management programme, therefore the number of tropEd students is limited. |
|
| Email Address: |
courses@swisstph.ch |
| Date Of Record Creation: |
2015-02-18 19:26:55 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Of Record Release: |
2017-09-27 03:09:26 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Record Checked: |
2018-03-16 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Last Modified: |
2025-02-25 10:25:42 (W3C-DTF) |