Learning for Effective Teaching: Lessons from Academy of Health Sciences in Sudan

Aim: This qualitative study explored the extent to which the desired results and outcomes of the training programme on learning and teaching were achieved. It focused on the views of course participants, organisers and managers, including funders of the training programme. Success case method was used to identify success cases and document the actual nature of success.

Methods: Three methods were used to collect qualitative data from the different groups of stakeholders which included a self-administered open-ended questionnaire, group interviews and semi-structured interviews.

Results: Results indicated that the key driving force for initiating training programme was the realization that there was few core staff teaching

in the Academy of Health Sciences across the country that had the required competencies to provide good quality teaching. Similarly, there was a general agreement among respondents that the training programme was relevant for their needs and expressed their satisfaction in the way the training courses addressed the intended learning outcome.

Conclusion: The importance of partnership between the University of Leeds in UK and Academy of Health Sciences in Sudan has contributed to capacity development, skills transfer, sharing experience and mutual learning. The success of this initiative could be to a large extent linked to the genuine spirit of north-south partnership that was based on a vision of relationships on a more equal footing, with genuine participation of both sides.