The main objectives of this workshop were to reflect upon the status of vaccinology education around the world, discuss its future and identify potential areas of collaboration between the different training initiatives.
A landscape analysis of the 26 advanced courses of vaccinology represented at the workshop was presented in terms of objectives, target audience, and source of funding in order to identify the potential areas of collaboration and education gaps.
Several lectures and discussions helped to define the current and future needs in vaccinology training. The questions of vaccine training accessibility, communication on vaccinology courses, availability of the courses in different languages and training assessment were deeply discussed.
Jane Tipping from the University of Toronto presented instructional design approaches and the best practices in adult education applicable to vaccinology. She emphasized the importance of active learning, hands-on practice, study groups and interactivity to improve teaching efficiency.
E-learning was also presented as an alternative to in-class training with its opportunities and challenges. The blended course, mixing classroom and distance learning, was described as a valuable approach.
The dissemination of information and post-training strategies to keep participants up to date were also discussed. Alumni meetings and social networks could have a positive impact on knowledge update.
As a follow-up to the course, participants agreed to create a common on-line resource on the ADVAC website with information on all of the major advanced vaccinology courses worldwide.