SUMMER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

GLOBAL HEALTH (KENYA)


A 4-credit Global Field Engagement Course in Kenya

AT A GLANCE

  • Global Field Engagement Course
  • Disciplinary Track: Global Health
  • Study Abroad Destination: Kenya
  • 2026 Dates: June 6-26 (3 weeks)
  • Credit: 4 U.S. credit hours (~ 8 ECTS credits) for eligible university students
  • Eligibility: Any field and level of study

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Engage with global health challenges in Kenya
This Global Field Engagement in Kenya is a three-week, credit-bearing course designed to introduce students to the foundational concepts, systems, and ethical dimensions of global health through immersive, field-based learning. The program combines academic coursework with experiential activities that situate global health challenges within Kenya’s social, cultural, and institutional landscape.

Built around GEI's Global Health curriculum, the course explores core themes such as the global burden of disease, health systems and governance, infectious and non-communicable diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, and migration. Students complement classroom learning with community-engaged experiences and guided reflection, developing essential competencies for ethical and effective global health engagement.
Program Highlights
  • A 3-week, credit-bearing Global Field Engagement course (4 credits)
  • Coursework grounded in global health theory, systems thinking, and ethics
  • Community-engaged learning and field-based exploration
  • Exposure to urban and community-level health contexts
  • Guided reflection and cultural intelligence development Instruction by GEI faculty and local experts
  • Emphasis on ethical, reciprocal engagement
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ACADEMICS

Program Structure
The Global Field Engagement Course in Global Health is an intensive, 4-credit program spanning three weeks plus pre-program eLearning. Students undergo a transformative learning journey, engaging with critical global issues through an interdisciplinary approach. The program is delivered in a sequence that builds from theoretical understanding to practical, hands-on experience. This progression ensures that students not only learn about global issues but also apply their knowledge in real-world settings.
Learning Outcomes
By program's end, students will:
  • Analyze global health systems and challenges using Kenya as a case study
  • Conduct field-based inquiry in collaboration with peers and local stakeholders
  • Apply theoretical frameworks to real-world health issues in cross-cultural contexts
  • Reflect on personal and professional growth through critical dialogue
  • Synthesize learning in a digital portfolio that demonstrates key competencies
Further Details
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YOUR DESTINATION: KENYA

The powerhouse of the East African Community, Kenya is one of the most diverse countries in Africa. From the white sandy beaches and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean to volcanic mountains in the Great Rift Valley. From the vast savannahs to the lacustrine highlands near Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake on the continent. Cultural traditions converge in Kenya, making it a dynamic and vibrant place to visit and experience.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

A core feature of the Summer I program is its focus on learning with communities rather than observing from a distance. Students engage with local organizations, professionals, and community partners to better understand how health challenges are experienced and addressed within specific social and cultural contexts. These engagements emphasize listening, contextual awareness, and systems-level understanding.

Community-engaged learning activities are designed collaboratively, ensuring that students gain insight into local priorities while reflecting critically on ethics, power, and positionality in global health work. Rather than centering interventions, the program prioritizes understanding how health systems function, how decisions are made, and how local actors navigate constraints and opportunities.
Throughout the course, structured reflection and cultural intelligence training support students in processing their experiences and examining their assumptions. Reflection sessions are integrated into the academic framework, helping students connect theory to practice while developing self-awareness and intercultural competence.

Finally, the program offers students the opportunity to explore Kenya as a complex and contemporary global health context. Through guided site visits, thematic explorations, and facilitated discussion, students gain a deeper appreciation of how history, governance, culture, and community dynamics shape health outcomes - reinforcing the importance of contextualized learning early in a global health pathway.
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HOUSING & MEALS

The program includes 3 weeks in Kenya. For this time, GEI Kenya offers different housing options that students can choose from, pending availability. These include:
  • Homestays: Typically single rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • Serviced apartments: Single or shared double rooms, with shared bathroom, and access to a kitchen and living room
  • University residence halls at our local partner universities: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities
  • Simple guesthouses: Shared double rooms, with shared bathroom and no kitchen facilities


Homestay host families typically provide breakfast and dinner. Students in serviced apartments, university residence halls, or guesthouses are usually responsible for all meals outside of core course meals.

You can find additional information in the following blog post: Accommodation – What to expect.

DATES, FEES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Program Dates

Application Due Date

Fees

Summer 2026 (3 weeks): June 6-26

April 1, 2026

Summer 2026: US $3,650 (3 weeks)

At GEI, we strongly believe in equal access to academic opportunities in study abroad. In order to help eliminate financial barriers, we offer a variety of merit scholarships, trailblazer scholarships, and opportunity scholarships and grants, ranging from $500 to full tuition awards. Each year, GEI is awarding several hundred thousand dollars in scholarships. You can find further information as well as additional resources for external funding opportunities in the following blog post: Scholarships & Grants.

INSTRUCTORS & COORDINATORS

Meet our core team

All of our instructors and coordinators are highly experienced and resourceful professionals.
Waleed Fatth, MPH
Program Director
Francoise Uzamukunda, MA
Academic Director, East Africa
Thuy Phan, MA
Academic Director, Vietnam
Chone Chaowai, MIDP
Academic Director, Thailand
Kari Cousins, MA/MSc
Academic Director, Southern Africa
Yvan Rubengebenge
Operations Manager, Rwanda
Eric Kingoina, DCS
Operations Manager, Kenya
Dang Huynh, BA
Operations, Vietnam
Denyse Iradukunda, BA
Operations, Rwanda
Sammy Davies Mochama, BSc
Operations, Kenya
Mabwe Gwamure, BSc
Operations, South Africa

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