Global Primary Health Care Transformation Lab
Transformationslabor Globale Primärversorgung
6 CPWinterEN
Prerequisites
Recommended, as written
Knowledge of the contents of modules • 13922 Introduction to Transformation Studies • 13923 Transformation Theories • 13924 Transformation: Design and Methodologies
Contents
The module addresses transformation-related challenges in Global Primary Health Care and Community Care in an interdisciplinary lab format. Students work in small groups on a selected real-world health challenge with global relevance. Such challenges are expected to refer to existing health problems, actors and contexts in international settings or in regional transformation settings such as the Lausitz health region (Modellregion Gesundheit Lausitz). Students are also encouraged to bring their own challenges. The module engages with complex health challenges by integrating qualitative, quantitative-explorative, systems-oriented and design-oriented perspectives. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of context-sensitive intervention proposals that may address socio-organisational innovation at community level and/or techno-digital approaches. Lab sessions combine short framing inputs with guided analytical and design tasks, group-work, iterative feedback and shared reflection. They are structured as recurring cycles of framing, critical thinking, application, and revision, through which students progressively develop their challenge-based project paper and final group presentation. This process is complemented by an individual reflective portfolio documenting learning and observations.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the modul, students are able to analyse real-world health challenges with global relevance from the perspective of Primary Health Care and Community Care. They are able to apply selected analytical and design-oriented approaches from epidemiology, health systems analysis, complex systems thinking, transformation studies and intervention design in order to analyse such challenges in a methodologically robust, systems-oriented and context-sensitive way. They are able to integrate and critically interpret analytical findings in order to develop and assess a justified transformation-oriented intervention proposal with regard to its context, relevance, feasibility and limitations.
Assessment
• Group project paper, 10 pages (50 %) • Final group presentation, max. 30 min (25 %) • Individual reflective portfolio, 5 x 1 page (25 %)
Literature (7)
- Kawachi, I., Lang, I., & Ricciardi, W. (eds.) (2020). Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- World Health Organization. Operational framework for primary health care: transforming vision into action. Geneva, 2020.
- World Health Organization. Closing the gap in a generation. Final Report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Geneva, 2008.
- Starfield B, Shi L, Macinko J. Contribution of primary care to health systems and health. Milbank Q. 2005;83(3):457-502. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2005.00409.x.
- Allen LN, et al. Models of global primary care post-2030. Lancet Prim Care. 2025 Sep;1(3):None. doi: 10.1016/j.lanprc.2025.100027.
- Skivington K, et al. A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of Medical Research Council guidance. BMJ. 2021 Sep 30;374:n2061. doi: 10.1136/bmj.n2061.
- Peffers, K., et al. A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research. Journal of Management Information Systems. 20027. 24(3), 45–77. https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222240302
Remarks
Depending on the selected challenge, site visits may be organised where feasible.
Source: BTU's module description · retrieved 29 Sep 2026Original