Ministry of Health and Medical Education

Virtual Learning Policies in Medical sciences

"Development of Virtual Education in Medical Sciences "

• Policy 1:  Institutionalization approach of responsive education in the health system
• Policy 2: Expanding access to justice in health higher education
• Policy 4: Establishing Presence in both regional and global educational arenas
• Policy 5: Networking in the health higher education system
• Policy 8: Benefiting from new technologies in higher health education

Expected output:

It is expected that achieving these goals in medical education will lead to significant advancements:

• Establishing the Virtual University of Medical Sciences as a platform for expanding virtualization.
• Training professionals specializing in human capital for virtual space.
• Enhancing curricula to its suitability for online presentation
• Expansion of information technology infrastructure at both the rank and staff levels, with the aim of enhancing support for virtual education
• Designing the motivational model of universities of medical sciences in order to develop virtual activities
• Developing international models of virtual training that align with the Double Affiliate training of medical sciences universities in the country

Axis:

Designing, setting up, and establishing the Virtual University of Medical Sciences

Executive unit:

Virtual University of Medical Sciences

In collaboration with the Secretariat of the Vice-Chancellor of Education and the Secretariat of Medical Sciences Universities, and in coordination with the country's health services.

Goals:

• Designing and launching the learning management system software (LMS: Learning Management System) to be presented to the applicant universities for educational assistance and to offer virtual (or combined) courses.
• Designing and launching the national software package (Massine Open Online Courses) MOOCs for the medical sciences universities of the country
• Compilation of electronic contents of medical sciences and presenting them through MOOCS with full participation Universities of medical sciences
• Determining the priority of developing specialized software for integrating virtual education in practical and clinical programs, such as national round system, virtual hospital medical consultation systems, virtual pharmacy, etc.
• Designing and setting up e-portfolio and e-logbook to present to applicant universities

Monitoring indicators:

• Final launch of LMS in the first year after the start of the project the inaugural release of the MOOCs platform within the initial year following the commencement of the project.
• Encompassing digital content pertaining to 30% of the curriculum across a minimum of 3 disciplines in the inaugural year, with the involvement of universities.
• In the first year, ensuring coverage of Meta-Skills longitudinal themes and Student Support packages.

Axis:

Establishing design process standards for virtual education in the field of medical sciences for pertinent programs.

Executive unit:

The Supreme Planning Council of Medical Sciences of the nation, collaborating with the Virtual University of Medical Sciences, the Executive Vice-Chancellor of Education and Universities of Medical Sciences, and the healthcare services of the country.

Goals:

• Establishment of a novel framework within the Ministry of Health's educational vice-chancellor office, featuring a designated level and role for oversight.
• Strategic planning for the advancement of virtual educational initiatives.
• Compilation and endorsement of statutes, regulations, and guidelines for the aforementioned collection.
• Establishment of a virtual college within qualifying universities.
• Formation and operation of dynamic virtual education centers in additional universities.
• Development and approval of regulations and directives concerning the collaboration between the central office complex and the Virtual University of Medical Sciences, virtual faculties, and virtual educational centers at universities.
• Designing a comprehensive system for empowering and motivating the implementation of virtual education in universities, leveraging virtual education capabilities to enhance internationalization and attract foreign students.
• Implementation of a virtual education accreditation system.

Monitoring indicators:

• Implementation of the structure and quantity of approved regulations and guidelines in this domain.
• The number of new virtual faculties introduced in eligible universities.
• Quantity of virtual education centers established in other universities.
• Enrollment of foreign virtual students.
• Enhancement of virtual education quality through the recruitment of foreign and domestic professors utilizing technology.
• Virtual learning initiatives.
• Progress in establishing a virtual education accreditation program.
• Establishment of a new supervisory and managerial framework at the central office for virtual education development.

Axis:

Provision and allocation of infrastructure, physical, informational, and human resources essential for the advancement of virtual education.

Executive Unit:

Virtual University of Medical Sciences In collaboration with the Executive Vice-Chancellor of Education and Medical Sciences and Health Services Universities within the country.

Goals:

• Identifying existing capacities for the development of virtual education
• Identifying strategic resources required for virtualization
• Estimating the required specialized human capital for virtualization
• Identifying international disciplines and levels of electronic learning and virtual education
• Developing and approving curricula.

Monitoring Indicators:

• Number of accepted students in each of the above-mentioned disciplines at a minimum in one university
• Number of trained specialized human resources
• Physical space allocated for the development of virtual education
• Number of launched portals
• Number of developed and approved curricula in this field.

Axis:

Capacity building in programs and common educational curricula to deliver and evaluate a portion of the programs and curricula virtually, with an emphasis on disciplines at the postgraduate level.

Executive Unit:

Supreme Planning Council

National Medical Education Secretariat, under the Executive Deputy and all Universities of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Health Deputy Secretary

Objectives:

• Enhancing educational equity by increasing access to higher health education.
• Reducing the costs of human resources training.
• Enabling access to educational resources anytime and anywhere.
• Enhancing internationalization of educational programs.
• Establishing the possibility of assessment and evaluation of learners in the virtual space.
• Meeting the needs of stakeholders and users in the comprehensive system.
• Upgrading information systems, data, and technology of the deputy.
• Launching an electronic portfolio and electronic curriculum and joining the hospital information network and information network.
• Implementing web-based education in the country.

Monitoring Indicators:

• Percentage of virtualized curricula in medical sciences.
• Number of courses offered in the virtual space.
• Percentage of specialized and subspecialized educational programs connected to the electronic portfolio and electronic curriculum network.
• Percentage of residents completing the electronic portfolio and electronic curriculum.
• Percentage of up-to-date information entered into the electronic portfolio and electronic curriculum, disaggregated by university.