Partnerships in practice: Insights from a visit to Kenya
A visit to PEP partners in Kenya offered new insights into collaboration, capacity strengthening activities, and context-sensitive approaches to health professions education. The exchange strengthened relationships across the partnership and helped shape our plans for collaborative PEP activities in next four years.
In April 2026, representatives from the Centre for Online and Blended Learning and the Department of Public Health visited partners in Kenya as part of the PEP-UCPH collaboration. The programme included meetings and site visits with partners from African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF Health Africa), Amref International University (AMIU), St. Paul’s University, Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK), and Sister Leonella Consolata Medical College.
The visit focused on strengthening collaboration between PEP partners, discussion of the governance and structure of the East African PEP collaboration as well as opportunities for knowledge exchange about online and blended learning teaching approaches, research collaboration, and student exchange. Discussions highlighted both the scale and complexity of the regional initiative, including the importance of coordination, communication, and long-term planning across institutions.
The delegation also gained insight into local educational contexts and infrastructure needs, including challenges related to simulation training, digital competencies, and equitable access to research opportunities. At the same time, the meetings demonstrated strong engagement and commitment among partners, with particular emphasis on co-creation, regional collaboration, and African-led development agendas.
Sister Leonella Consolata Medical College in Nyeri is a main data collection site for a UCPH PhD research project on nurses’ transition from education to practice. A visit to the training college provided insight into nursing education and clinical practice, reinforcing the importance of context-specific approaches to training and capacity strengthening.
Members of the delegation also participated in the regional World Health Summit in Nairobi, where themes such as health workforce development, educational reform, and resilience in the face of global health crises were central. At the summit, Amref Health Africa and the Novo Nordisk Foundation launched the second phase of the PEP-partnership in Kenya and East Africa.
Overall, the visit strengthened collaboration across the partnership and highlighted the value of mutual learning between institutions working in different educational and healthcare contexts.
Contact information
Helle Max Martin
Senior education consultant, Ph.D.
Centre for Online and Blended Learning
Email: helle.martin@adm.ku.dk
Phone: +45 93 56 59 71