About IS4NCDs

What is IS4NCDs?

IS4NCDs is a collaboration among higher education institutions in South Africa (University of the Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch University), Zambia (University of Zambia and Copperbelt University), and Europe (Utrecht University Medical Center, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine).

Our joint mission is strengthen institutional capacity to train and develop skilled health, education, and research teams in implementation science, specifically targeting the increasing rates of NCDs in South Africa and Zambia.

Seven partner institutions in Africa and Europe

Why IS4NCDs?

NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions are significant and growing challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. While there are evidence-based innovations and policies to address these risk factors, their implementation is often lacking, inconsistent and underreported.

Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory conditions, and the gap between evidence and implementation.

What We Will Do

Our goal is to equip graduates and health professionals with the necessary competencies to translate national policies into actionable strategies for NCD prevention and care.

We will build capacity at participating higher education institutions (HEIs) to collaboratively develop and implement a diverse postgraduate program.
This program will feature transdisciplinary, competency-based, NCD-focused modules in implementation science.
These modules, collectively, are expected to shape post-graduate degrees in Implementation Science and NCDs.
Key stakeholders will be engaged throughout development to facilitate experiential learning and practical skills development within the curricula.

Partner universities develop NCD-focused modules that shape postgraduate degrees, with key stakeholders engaged throughout.

How Will We Do It?

We will develop and/or modernize nine different modules on implementation science with an NCD-lens that are tailored to different target audiences, including both current and future health care professionals as well as those in leadership positions.
We will develop an executive implementation science course targeting mid-to-senior health professionals in key change-making positions.
We will establish a regional eHub and a social innovation platform for NCD implementation science, serving as a platform for continued knowledge dissemination, networking, and collaboration.

Nine modules, an executive course, and a regional eHub for networking and collaboration.

See the training workshops