​​​​​
Division of Epidemiology and​​​ Biostatistics​

Short Courses

Knowledge translation workshops

Knowledge Translation (KT) seeks to bridge the gap between research and decision-making (and the actors within each). As attention to KT in research, policy and practice grows, so does a need for capacity enhancement in KT knowledge, skills and activities amongst evidence producers and evidence users.

Three KT short courses are offered by the Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and are open to postgraduate students, faculty and other interested participants external to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Short course participants will receive a certificate of attendance and CPD credit if requested.

Workshop 1 (Foundational course): Evidence-Informed Decision making: The Art, Science and Complexity of Knowledge Translation

The curriculum is designed in a way to dovetail the science and art of KT by drawing on principles of adult learning and capacity strengthening that includes: 1) extraction of intuitive and tacit knowledge 2) autonomous knowledge generation 3) practical sessions 4) peer-support and critique 5) facilitator coaching and feedback 6) constant reflection. Participants graduate the course with with three completed outputs: a stakeholder matrix, an engagement strategy for their chosen stakeholder and a plan for evaluating the impact of their KT strategy in influencing decision-makers. This foundational course is a prerequisite for the following two offerings.

Workshop 2: Engaging with Decision Makers: Issue Briefs for Policy and Practice 

Decision-makers, whether at the household, organizational, community or network level make decisions in complex environments. With the multitude of information that impacts their decisions, its critical for researchers to not only understand the complexities of the decision-making environment but also to appreciate the efforts and strategies that can be employed to contribute to those decisions with evidence. 

The aim of this short course is to provide a nuanced understanding of the context and processes that affect decision-making with the ultimate aim to produce an issue brief to influence a chosen decision maker. 

Workshop 3: Engaging with the Media: Principles and practices 

The purpose/goal of this course is to provide researchers with a nuanced understanding of how to engage with the media in order to encourage the use of evidence in decision-making.   Participants will learn about how the media operates and the complexity of the media landscape. They will also learn how science news, features and editorials can be produced without compromising the quality of the scientific information. The importance of understanding and navigating how to build relations and engage with the media is a core part of the syllabus. 

Objectives/aim: The combined three knowledge translation workshop aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of KT foundations and application for policy, practice and media. 

Prerequisites: None

Duration and dates: Workshop 1 : Mar/April, Workshop 2 and 3 : April/May and May/June

 ​