A project originating in France has now officially started operations in Dakar, Senegal. The creation of this new educational tool is most commonly referred to as the North-South network of inter-university diplomas, and it is an impressive e-learning program offering online courses to college students who are studying medicine. The courses that are currently being developed focus on specific medical specialties that primarily deal with female issues.

The partnership between France and Africa is intended to train medical professionals in different areas of specialization so that they can become qualified to treat mothers and their children. There are currently 17 African and Asian countries participating in this project.

Senegal is the first, and the other African countries include Madagascar, Niger, Tunisia, Algeria, Benin, Mali, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Chad, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, and Congo Brazzaville. The Asian countries committed to this endeavor are Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Medical students seem to be excited by the new educational opportunities, with many of them now able to receive training that would otherwise be out of their reach because of a lack of funding or an inability to travel to another country for an extended period of time.

The inter-university diplomas that are being offered to students who successfully complete an offered course of study are a first in the current educational systems in place in Africa. While distance education is a process that many educators would like to see implemented, the majority of African schools are not able to support such programs financially.

African and French teachers jointly created the first course of study that is now being offered to students, obstetrical ultrasonography, but there are seven other programs currently in development. It is hoped that these programs will all launch in the near future and meet with the same amount of enthusiasm that this first course has seen.

The remaining programs of study that are being planned for a future launch date include infectious diseases, vaccinology, and gynecological surgery. Designing and implementing these courses in a mostly online format is quite challenging, and many dedicated professionals have contributed to the development of this new system of learning in Africa.

In creating the courses that are made available to students, education and medical professionals must address a variety of subjects that are likely to be thought of as offensive to some, while being widely accepted by others. This very delicate balancing act has thus far proven to be successful, and a number of students have already completed their specialized training with success.

For the time being, students must finance this type of education through the usual means that are available to them. The universities currently offering e-learning options determine the rates that are charged per course, and students must pay for these courses through their students’ fees. Many people seem to be quite excited by the introduction of this new system of learning, and it is hoped that new methods of payment can be developed to assist students who may not be able to afford the tuition rates on their own.