Americas

Cuba

• Environment Capacity Enhancement in Cuba
• Psycho-pharmacological Training and Research Capacity in Cuba
• Human Resource Development in the Cuban Marine Sector
• Environmental Health Risk Assessment and Risk Management across Cuba
• Biomedical Engineering Education Program in Cuba
• Strengthening Nursing Practice through Education and Research
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Education in Cuba
• Developing a Biomedical Engineering Education Program in Cuba
• Formation en gestion des coopératives

Environment Capacity Enhancement in Cuba

Project purpose: This project seeks to increase the capacity of the Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverria (ISPJAE) and other relevant Cuban organizations to address the sustainable development needs of, and strengthen environmental management in, the communities they serve.

Key results to date: Professionals from a wide range of institutions, government, industry and NGOs have improved their knowledge and skills related to integrated solid waste management, cleaner production, waste water treatment and air quality modeling through eight short-courses. Three PhD students and six MSc students are enrolled at Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE), researching the anaerobic treatment of toxic sludge from Havana Bay, treatment of waste from the citrus industry, management of hazardous waste at the Havana International Airport, composting of municipal solid waste and urban agriculture. To date, one PhD and three MSc students have graduated from the ISPJAE component of the graduate education program. The textbook Procesos para el tratamiento biológico de aguas residuals industriales was published and analytical equipment was supplied to the laboratory at ISPJAE. The composting demonstration site, located at the Havana landfill, is producing compost from organic municipal solid waste. New national compost standards have been developed and submitted to the government for consideration.

Psycho-pharmacological Training and Research Capacity in Cuba

Project purpose: The project aims to increase the capacity of the Centro Nacional Coordinador de Ensayos Clínicos (CENCEC), and its associated provincial training units across Cuba, to provide training in, manage, design and conduct clinical trials in the area of psychopharmacology.

Key results to date: The Centro Nacional Coordinador de Ensayos Clinicos (CENCEC) has enhanced its capacity to provide training and to manage and conduct clinical trials. Nineteen CENCEC staff members have received training and 420 health professionals have participated in workshops. A training curriculum has been developed and delivered three times to 49 psychiatrists, nurses, and physicians. Laboratory equipment has been purchased and a research ethics review process has been established for the clinical trial for the psychopharmacological drug, Sertraline. Clinical trials were conducted at two sites (one urban, one rural) and 313 patients were evaluated. As a result, the availability of Sertraline has increased and been extended to hospitals. Two CENCEC staff members have received the Society of Clinical Research Associates certification and are now capable of managing clinical trials involving international partners and standards. A scientific writing workshop was conducted for 15 staff members and research on building psychiatric clinical research capacity in low and middle income countries has been submitted for publication.

Developing a Biomedical Engineering Education Program in Cuba

Project purpose: In support of Cuba's priorities for health care, the project helped to develop the human resources needed to create a regular program for graduate studies (MSc and PhD) in biomedical engineering in the electrical engineering faculty at Universidad Central de Las Villas (UCLV). The project also developed the library resources needed for a successful program of graduate studies in the field and created the basis for future cooperation in research and development of biomedical engineering between UCLV and the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Fredericton.

Key results to date: Key results included improved teaching capability of UCLV faculty in the field of biomedical engineering and the development and delivery of ongoing MSc and PhD biomedical engineering programs at UCLV. In Santa Clara, opportunities for students to study biomedical engineering have increased and hospitals have access to more highly trained engineers. The project has also led to improved capacity for research in biomedical engineering at UCLV. In addition, cooperation between UNB and UCLV was strengthened and expanded to include the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and two other universities in other regions of Cuba in a new UPCD Tier 2 project.

Formation en gestion des coopératives

Project purpose: The objective of the project was to assist Cuban agricultural cooperatives to increase productivity through more effective management practices.

Key results to date: The project led to the launch in January 2000 of an adapted master's program in cooperative management and development targeting managers of rural cooperatives, staff of relevant departments and other organizations supporting agricultural cooperatives. A total of 69 students completed training and 36 others started the program in November 2004 with an expected completion date of 2006. Two cooperative training manuals entitled Introducción a la gerencia en cooperativas cañeras and Gestión y desarrollo de cooperativas, consisting of research reports carried out on Cuban cooperatives by UH faculty, were published. At the request of the Ministry of Sugar, UH faculty have trained instructors at the Centro Nacional de Capacitación Azucarera, who in turn will independently give training in the management of sugar cooperatives, leading to a certificate. As well, three management schools in rural areas now offer an intensive four-week hands-on training in management methods for cooperative managers.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management Education in Cuba

Project purpose: The project's purpose was to build capacity for the training of professionals who plan and manage coastal zone development and use through the establishment of a master's program in integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) shared by three Cuban universities. The project also aimed to help establish a model for the development of interdisciplinary degree programs in Cuba's higher education system so that individual universities can pool their diverse strengths and address regional and national needs.

Key results to date: Partners successfully designed and delivered the new master's program in ICZM at the three participating Cuban universities and, therefore, produced and strengthened the national curriculum for ICZM. ICZM teaching capacity in Cuba was significantly enhanced as 76 Cuban faculty members and government instructors received training and/or participated in the project. There is enhanced ICZM networking among the Cuban universities, improved government-university cooperation in ICZM education, a more developed intellectual climate for ICZM in Cuba, and increased Canadian-Cuban university cooperation. The technological and library infrastructure needed for program delivery in Cuba was strengthened. Thirty-four government ICZM planners in the first cohort successfully completed the Masters degree.

Strengthening Nursing Practice through Education and Research

Project purpose: The project aims to enhance the capacity of the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas-Habana (ISCM-H) and Cuba's Ministry of Public Health to provide relevant graduate nursing education and strengthen the ability of nurses to conduct research and disseminate results using existing community needs assessments. The project also aims to enhance the capacity of Cuban nurses, in partnership with the Society of Cuban Nurses, to use evidence-based and gender-sensitive nursing knowledge in practice.

Key results to date: A separate faculty of nursing at the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas-Habana has been established and is the main centre of project activities. The Cuban National Scientific Commission approved the title of doctor of nursing sciences (PhD) in 2006, thereby creating a new scientific degree. Currently, 11 students are enrolled in the first doctoral program in Cuba designed to meet international standards and delivered in English. Nurses and doctoral students are carrying out five research projects, three of which address gender issues. Cuban professors, through discussions with Canadian counterparts, have completed revisions to the master's program. The contents of the new and revised master's courses integrate new evaluation methods that reflect the concept of empowerment and learner-centred approaches to course delivery and evaluation. A first continuing education workshop was held in Cameguey, with a focus on health promotion and prevention strategies, particularly those related to smoking cessation.

Biomedical Engineering Education Program in Cuba

Project purpose: The project aims to develop and enhance advanced biomedical engineering graduate programs at three universities in Cuba.

Key results to date: Currently, there are 31 Master's students and 12 doctoral students in biomedical engineering, along with 47 faculty and staff members of partner institutions involved in the project and developing biomedical engineering undergraduate programs. As of the 2007 academic year, 284 students were enrolled in these programs with the first graduates expected in 2009. Improvements to the laboratories have been completed and the electrical engineering faculty was recognized by the Universidad Central de Venezuela as having the most outstanding laboratory within the institution. The Universidad de Oriente has developed and installed a movement analysis system to upgrade the signal processing and computing equipment. The project supports students through the provision of books and other materials, as well as through specialized training in biomedical engineering. The project has supported improvements to libraries and travel to conferences for the Cuban team.

Environmental Health Risk Assessment and Risk Management across Cuba

Project purpose: The purpose of the project is to strengthen the capacity of Cuba to educate and train the people required to assess and manage environmental health risks in a sustainable manner.

Key results to date: At project closure, a strong national training network had been established with two new accredited master's programs in environmental health in the eastern and central regions of Cuba, joining a reinforced program in Havana. A total of 33 instructors were trained in workshops stressing application of interactive teaching methods and new content. Instructors have since been observed applying these techniques. The training programs resulted in 55 master's graduates, of which 74 per cent were women. In addition, another 326 students (environmental health) and 316 students (school health) received their diplomas through distance education programs including trainees from other countries, especially Ecuador. One student successfully defended her doctoral dissertation. Canadian and Cuban researchers have collaborated on over 10 peer review research publications and many conference presentations. A national network has been established to sustain the strengthening of environmental health capacity in Cuba (Red Nacional de Capacitación en Salud Ambiental).

Human Resource Development in the Cuban Marine Sector

Project purpose: The project focused primarily on ecotoxicology and its use in the determination and monitoring of pollution in the coastal ecosystem in Cuba. Another objective was to identify and develop potential integrated aquaculture sites and biotechnology opportunities.

Key results to date: Four related disciplines (microbiology, coral reef ecology, seaweed ecophysiology and ecotoxicology) were strengthened at the partner institutions. Eleven women and three men scientists from CIM and the Institute of Oceanology at the master's and PhD levels have greater knowledge in special research techniques and have disseminated the new information to many other scientists at their institutions. Their training has also resulted in the creation of a new research line at CIM focusing on marine ecotoxicology. Sixty-seven scientists (70 percent women) participated in nine courses conducted in Cuba. As a result, there has been an increase in and, in some cases, development of a new literature base on these subjects in Cuba, now available for reference for scientists in the institutions. Cuban faculty members have integrated "field courses" into the curriculum at CIM, which represents a new and successful approach to teaching and learning there. New baseline data have also been developed on the ecology and biology of Cuban seaweeds, coral reefs, ecotoxicology and microbiology.