Sharing European Educational Experience in Public Health for Israel (SEEEPHI):

The overall aim for the proposal is enhancement of the public health workforce in Israel through sharing European educational experience, including: HARMONIZATION, EMPLOYABILITY, LEADERSHIP and OUTREACH with 5 specific objectives (SOs):

1. Detailed analysis of field qualifications content to understand different professional roles in the Israeli public health system.

2. Mapping of the competency profiles of the Israeli schools and programmes of public health to guide harmonization between public health education and practice.

3. Introduction of a dynamic online interface to enable public health education/training - practice/workforce collaboration, supporting employability and continuing professional development in the Israeli public health system.

4. Building leadership capacity via cutting edge training in the Israeli public health schools and programmes, including peer-to-peer and train the trainers offerings.

5. Stakeholder engagement to secure key outreach (community, inter-professional, cross-sectoral…) needed to sustain the proposed solutions.

The core content of the project is divided into 5 core WPs - 2 preparatory (WP2 & WP3) and 3 development (WP4-6); respectively addressing the 5 SOs listed above. Management (WP1), Dissemination (WP7) and Quality Plan and Evaluation (WP8) support the project.

Each core WP corresponds to a single SO. The European WP co-leader supports the context of the WP agenda, sharing experience, European solutions, tools, best practices, etc. The Israeli WP co-leader operationalises input from the European Partner into the Israeli PH system context and bears primary responsibility for the development and implementation work.

The ASPHER/WHO Europe Road Map to Professionalizing the PHW (RMPHW) supports countries and PH professionals in taking action to professionalize the PHW, describing a variety of measures that countries can take, and identifying considerations related to the implementation. It is used as an overarching guide for all proposal activities. Each of the 5 core WPs is supported by a specific European tool or model that offers actionable solutions on PHW development and PH systems to be adapted to the Israeli context.

Work Package 1: PROJECT COORDINATION
(Lead partner: ASPHER)

Work Package 2: FIELD QUALIFICATION ANALYSIS IN THE ISRAELI PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM
(Lead partners: Ashkelon Academic College, ASPHER)

WHO-ASPHER Competency Framework for the PHW in the European Region (CFPHW): The Framework enables standardization and consistent definition of the skills required of PH professionals. As the first preparatory WP it will deliver a report from the survey of field qualifications.

Work Package 3: MAPPING OF THE COMPETENCY PROFILES OF THE ISRAELI SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMMES OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(Lead partners: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University College Cork)

ASPHER’s European Core Competences List for the PH Professional (ECCLPHP): The List complements the definitions from the point of view of competencies and core-curricula; based on the list, the nature and activities of PH can be derived, aggregated and combined to the level of definition of the discipline. This second preparatory WP will produce a report and recommendations for harmonization of the offers at all academic levels from the mapping of the competency profiles of the Israeli HEIs of PH and in response to the employer and community needs (WP2).

Work Package 4: WORKFORCE ADAPTATION AND EMPLOYABILITY IN THE ISRAELI PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM
(Lead partners: University of Haifa, Jagiellonian University)

ASPHER’s European PH Reference Framework (EPHRF): The EPHRF constitutes a central and comprehensive source of information to enable interactions for PHW planning; mapping PH education and training programmes; mapping job opportunities; and individual career guidance. Building on the findings from WP1&2, the PHI PHRF tool will be developed. It will be supported by the PHI Practical Placement Scheme to place students in practical research and PH campaigns each semester in order to gain real world PH experience and skills. An annual PHI Career Fair will be organized to assist students, alumni, and PH professionals and others with job placement and career advancement opportunities.

Work Package 5: BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY IN THE ISRAELI PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM
(Lead partners: Ben Gurion University of the Negev, University of Maastricht)

Leaders for European Public Health (LEPHIE): the programme, resulting from a previous European collaborative effort, developed a leadership course for PH professionals using PBL and blended-learning methods utilizing. LEPHIE methodology will be used for the training of trainers for the PHI Leadership Academy.

Work Package 6: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
(Lead partners: Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, Swedish Red Cross University College)

This is Public Health (TIPH) Europe Campaign: The campaign increases awareness of PH roles. An Israeli TIPH campaign is currently underway and will be augmented by the I am Public Health (IAMPH) campaign in the current proposal to raise awareness of the roles played by individual members of the PHW. IAMPH will encourage professionals with a role in PH officially register as PH Professionals strengthening their PH identity.

Work Package 7: DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION
(Lead partners: Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, ASPHER)

Work Package 8: QUALITY PLAN & EVALUATION
(Lead partner: Ben Gurion University of the Negev)