A Student's analysis of the Moi University- Linköping University exchange programme

Moi University College of Health Sciences was established in 1989. It is comprised of the schools of medicine, nursing, public health and dentistry. Since its inception, the college has been in collaboration with Linköping University in Sweden. This collaboration has taken the form of student and staff exchanges, as well as infrastructure and library improvements. This study was carried out to analyse the exchange programme and highlight some of the strengths that the exchange programme brings to the students' academic experience. Methods: A qualitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among the students who participated in the elective/exchange programme in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by the participants. Additional data were obtained from the recommendations and conclusions from the reports that the students wrote aft er their participation in the exchange programme. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were also carried out. Results: A total of 46 students participated in the exchange programme: 27 from Moi University and 19 from Linköping University. The disciplines of students reflected the undergraduate courses off ered by these universities. The exchange programme's strengths were exposing students to new cultural settings, diff erent healthcare system organisation and influencing future academic and personal lives, as well as making education global. The main challenge facing the exchange programme was language. Discussion: This study shows the exchange programme as a strong pillar of the medical education curriculum, enabling students to get a global perspective on their education, while exposing them to significant cultural and healthcare organisation diversity. There is a need to expand the collaboration so that more students have the opportunity to experience the overseas exchange programme.