Improving the Quality and Relevance of Undergraduate Education...

Objectives

The project envisages improving the relevance of the undergraduate education by enhancing the institutional capacity through resource development and supporting programmes for: addressing quality issues related to the curricula and study programmes, enhancing student learning, improving the Information Technology (IT) and English skills of students and promoting social and intercultural harmony.

Introduction

Project background and rationale
The Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (UCFM) pioneered the revision of its undergraduate medical curriculum a decade earlier. Hence, the IRQUE QEF funding was eagerly awaited by its students and staff and considered most necessary for the further development of the Faculty, the oldest medical school in Sri Lanka and the forerunner in medical education in Sri Lanka.

Project objectives
In keeping with the vision and mission of the UCFM and the corporate plan of the University of Colombo, this proposal was developed to meet the broad objectives of the study programme, taking into consideration the problems identified based on a detailed SWOT analysis highlighted in the initial proposal. The objectives of the project are: to produce a medical graduate capable of providing effective health care services in different settings in keeping with the national, social and economic needs of the country; to produce a graduate capable of functioning in a health system without any discrimination, improving harmony between differing groups, act with responsiveness and responsibility to the needs of the community and the environment; to develop skills which will empower the graduate to secure employment outside the state health service and to develop the capacity and organizational structure of the UCFM for efficient and effective management to enhance productivity.

The ultimate outcome and benefits of this project are to develop better quality medical graduates to serve as health professionals contributing towards the changing social and economic development needs relevant to Sri Lanka.

Strategy chosen to achieve the project objectives
Activity C1A1 - To enhance learning in different health care settings in order to improve skills and attitudes of graduates to function in diverse environments through:
a) Curriculum development and re-orientation of teaching staff by conducting workshops, by reviewing objectives and orienting academic and other staff on the community based teaching programme, and through observational study tours for staff to improve the existing community based teaching.
b) Improve the quality of teaching by improved communication with PHC learning settings by installing a dedicated communication facility
c) Develop student skills in PHC based health education by enhancing development of skills in communicating with community groups by the provision of facilities to train students to develop health education material
d) Develop knowledge, skills and attitudes among students to become independent practitioners by providing opportunities in the model Family Practice Unit, by developing appropriate software package for Health Information System, expanding the infrastructurefor computer based student learning e.g. database/audits and linking with field based services for student learning of best practices in patient referral
e) Improve student access to rural PHC training centers through improved availability of transport facilities for student activities that is efficiently managed in its implementation

Activity C1A2 - Create an enabling environment for research among undergraduates by:
a) Improving skills of staff to support student research through staff development and the provision of research grants
b) Improving research support services for undergraduates to complement their research activities
c) Assisting in research presentation at annual Student Scientific Sessions held in UCFM as well as at regional / international conferences / scientific sessions

Activity C2A1 - Improve Trilingual Capability of Graduates by:

  1. Developing a Language Learning Facility at UCFM with the initiating of a Language committee at UCFM headed by PiC to review current inputs in English and 3rd Language capabilities relevant to the undergraduate curriculum and implement activities that would help improve existing deficiencies.
  2. Initiating a Language Learning Laboratory located at UCFM
  3. Providing an on going teaching learning facility in English and the 3rd language for medical students by developing relevant teaching learning resources
  4. Improving staff trilingual capability to sustain Language Training Facility at UCFM

Activity C2A2 - Create a conducive environment for students to facilitate activities fostering social harmony by:

  1. Improving physical facilities available for recreation, improve physical fitness, other leisure time activities
  2. Organizing social/cultural activities with involvement of students and all categories of staff within the UCFM, with other faculties of UoC and other Universities if Sri Lanka and even regionally
  3. Providing travel grants for visits by students and staff to visit other universities (e.g. North and East)

Activity C3A1- Improve the management system (structure/organization) for effective functioning of the UCFM undergraduate study programme by:
a) Conducting a work – study to review the current management system including financial management and their shortcomings, the contribution of academic and non-academic staff to teaching and other activities, and the utilization of facilities for educational and other student related activities and the maintenance of infrastructure facilities

  1. Capacity building of staff through overseas study tours, conducting regular staff development activities in management for staff of all categories, providing opportunities for the academic staff for a certification course in medical education through a distance education course at an accredited center and design and conduct a staff development programme with several workshops, lectures, presentations etc via the Medical Education Development and Research Centre (MEDARC) of UCFM
  2. Delineate functions within the existing framework with Dean as CEO, and responsibilities for different specific subject areas listed below delegated to functional deputy deans or sub-deans (subject area), which may be titular or non-titular, under specific areas such as academic affairs (e.g. Chairperson CD and EC), examination affairs (Director examinations), learning resources (library, CAL, VL lab, MRC, learning laboratories), student affairs and discipline (e.g. Senior student counselor, hostel wardens), human resource management (academic, non-academic and external resources) – SAR, faculty infrastructure - AR (e.g. buildings, service and research laboratories, furniture, equipment, transport, etc.), research and development (RHDC), monitoring education (MEDARC) and financial management (SAB)
  3. Strengthen the system for curriculum management and to improve linkages with the general administration of UCFM by developing an effective, efficient and sustainable matrix organization structure where there is regular continuous cross-communication and integration between streams and activities of departments by pooling of resources for student learning, laboratories, transport etc., 
  4. Carry out a pilot programme to detect shortcomings and adjust accordingly to suit the faculty.  
  5. Develop a progress review system to assess effectiveness and sustainability of the proposed system.
  6. Develop a Management Information System for smooth implementation of the curriculum, allocation to of time, implementation of curriculum, staff (all categories), learning resources, database on students for tracer studies so that regular evaluations can be done with relative ease

All of the above will be effected through the award of a consultancy to a management firm except activities related to staff development in medical education. These will be in the form of distance education course and local workshop conducted by international consultants.

Activity C3A2 - Enhancing self-learning of the UCFM undergraduate through an integrated teaching/ learning programme by:
a) Providing hands on training in clinical skills in a protected environment that is ethically sound based in the skills laboratory by upgrading the existing laboratory with civil works and purchase of equipment linked to establishment of a full time self learning facility with the provision of full time technical staff by UoC
b) Improving self-directed learning of students using learning resources in relation to module based activities by establishing a training center with centralized resources i.e. a module resource center (MRC)
c) Improving student skills in laboratory sciences in patient care through centralizing laboratory resources and arranging clinically relevant laboratory based learning in a centralized integrated setting
d) Developing self directed learning, problem solving and inter-personal skills of students by enhancing the SGD/PBL learning facility and
e) Promoting student learning through improvement of UCFM library facilities such as improved efficiency and access to library resources, staff development to enable operating library for students for longer hours using the same workforce, updating network resources and increasing student usage space by linking to CAL and updating its collection for 13 modules and 4 streams

Activity C3A3 - To enable the UCFM undergraduate to become a self-directed learner to promote attitudes towards lifelong learning by:

  1. Providing a virtual learning environment (VLE) for student self study in the Pathology Museum through development of interactive learning aids that are locally relevant for self study whilst promoting computer based learning skills in medical undergraduates,
  2. Upgrading the exciting computer assisted learning laboratory (CAL) in UCFM,
  3. Upgrading the audio visual unit (AVU) that would help in developing teaching material and student evaluation material,
  4. Upgrading the photography unit to aid in the the AV unit related activities and
  5. The provision of a publication facility to produce teaching material and to assist students to develop health education material and disseminate their research results

Activity C4A1 (This has now been incorporated into C3A1) - Develop New Regulatory Framework to Facilitate Generation and Utilization of Resources by:

  • Conducting a situation analysis to identify problems related to revenue generation and utilization
  • Identifying options, which would enable the Faculty to function with more financial autonomy in utilizing the funds it generates.
  • Disseminate information among stakeholders
  • Conducting national level workshops and consultations with key decision makers (Treasury, Auditor General’s Department, UGC, Ministry of Higher Education, University Council etc).
  • Submit via the Faculty Board detailed proposals (for example by- laws if necessary) to University Council, UGC and the Ministry of Higher Education for implementation