International Student Training & Exchange Program (iSTEP)

The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) is organising the 2025 International Student Training & Exchange Program (iSTEP) with three simultaneous courses. This is a great opportunity for students to participate in a live, virtual, international and intersectoral course.

About TUFH The Network: Towards Unity for Health is a global organisation that promotes unity between academic institutions, health systems and communities to improve health and health equity. It brings together educators, students and practitioners from across disciplines and countries, with a strong emphasis on interprofessional education and community-oriented health. The International Student Training & Exchange Program is one of its flagship student-facing initiatives.

About the programme The 2025 iSTEP programme will take place from October 2024 through May 2025 and consists of three simultaneous courses. Through a series of live virtual sessions, participating students engage with peers and educators from different countries and disciplines, working on intersectoral themes that connect health, education and community development. The courses are designed to be interactive and collaborative, giving students practical experience of working across sectors and national boundaries on shared health and social challenges.

Who can participate The programme is aimed at students, including health professions students, who are interested in international and intersectoral learning. Participants should be able to commit to the live virtual sessions running over the October 2024 to May 2025 period, and should be comfortable working in an online, cross-cultural learning environment.

What is covered iSTEP is delivered entirely online, enabling participation from anywhere with reliable internet access. The course draws on the iSTEP schedule and learning materials hosted on the TUFH platform, together with an informative video introducing the programme and its objectives. There is no travel involved, which makes the exchange accessible to a wide range of students across countries and disciplines. At the end of the course, students receive a certificate of participation, recognising their completion of the international training and exchange programme.

Learning experience Participants can expect an interactive and participatory format that emphasises shared learning across disciplines and cultures. Working in international student teams, participants explore real-world challenges at the interface of health, education and community development, building skills in communication, collaboration and problem-solving that are highly relevant to future careers in health and related sectors. The live virtual format allows direct interaction with facilitators and peers from multiple countries, making the experience genuinely international without requiring travel.

How to apply Students interested in participating in iSTEP 2025 should confirm their interest by contacting Ms. Evelyn Bakengesa at evbakengesa@gmail.com. Applicants are encouraged to reach out early, as spaces on the courses may be limited.

Deadline The deadline to confirm interest in participating in iSTEP 2025 is June 15, 2024.