Expanding the Epi Training Kit

Epi-Training Kit

Expanding the Epi-Training Kit: A South-South Collaboration for Multilingual and Localised Public Health Data Science Training Materials in Africa

Last update: Sep 09, 2025

BACKGROUND

Enhancing Tools for Response, Analytics and Control of Epidemics in Latin America and the Caribbean (TRACE-LAC) is a project funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) with the objective of building a high-quality, open-source, and interoperable data toolkit for epidemic analytics — and fostering an engaged user community — to support decision-makers in responding to epidemics in Latin America.

The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Javeriana) has been supported by IDRC to develop various activities and research products within the TRACE-LAC project. As part of this effort, Javeriana created the Epi-Training Kit (EpiTKit), an open-access online training strategy.

The EpiTKit consists of a series of modules and units for virtual training in public health data science and infectious disease modeling, aligned with the Epiverse initiative powered by data.org. To date, 10 units have been developed in Spanish, tailored for audiences in Latin America and the Caribbean.

This new phase, developed in partnership between Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and data.org, expands the reach of the EpiTKit to Africa through a South-South collaboration, emphasizing multilingualism and localism in the translation and cultural adaptation of training materials. The initiative aims to strengthen local capacities in data science for public health while fostering knowledge exchange between regions facing similar gaps and epidemiological challenges.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To translate and culturally adapt the materials of the Epi-Training Kit (EpiTKit) for the target audience in Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Togo, ensuring linguistic clarity, technical accuracy, and cultural relevance. This initiative embraces a multilingual and localism approach to create context-sensitive learning experiences that reflect local public health realities and strengthen regional capacities in data science for epidemic response.

This objective includes:

Translating and adapting the training materials from an initial set of five units developed by Epiverse TRACE-LAC into English and French, while integrating local contexts and region-specific examples.
Reviewing technical terminology to ensure consistency, accuracy, and relevance to local epidemiological landscapes.
Adapting and producing multilingual multimedia resources that are culturally appropriate and reflective of the diverse realities across African regions.

The five units to be translated and adapted are:

Introduction to Epidemic Theory
General Epidemiology
Introduction to Statistics and Probability
Parameters
Building a Deterministic Model

INSTITUTIONS

EPI-TRAINING KIT IN ACTION

To facilitate access to the adapted EpiTKit units in English and French, the Atingi platform is used. The first step is to create an account and enrol in the courses.

Step-by-Step: How to Enrol on Atingi

Go to the Atingi homepage
Click on “Register here”
Select your preferred language
Enter your email address
Read the privacy policy and general terms and conditions. If you agree, check the box and click Next
Set a password
Confirm your email address via the link sent to your inbox (check your spam folder if you don’t see it)
Fill in your personal data: first name, last name, year of birth, country of residence, gender, and highest level of education
> ⚠️ Note: Your certificate will be generated using the information you provide here
Click Create my profile
Log in and use the direct links below to access each course
Read the “About this course” section. If the content interests you, click the Enrol me button

Available Units

Language	Unit Title	Link
English	Introduction to Epidemic Theory	Enrol here
English	General Epidemiology Applied to Infectious Diseases	Enrol here
English	Introduction to Statistics and Probability	Coming soon
English	Parameters	Coming soon
English	Building a Deterministic Model	Coming soon
French	Introduction à la théorie des épidémies	S’inscrire ici
French	Épidémiologie générale appliquée aux maladies infectieuses	S’inscrire ici
French	Introduction aux statistiques et probabilités	À venir
French	Paramètres	À venir
French	Construction d’un modèle déterministe	À venir

How to Navigate the Course

Start with the Introduction section. If your internet is slow, allow time for the content to load.
The introduction is repeated in each unit. If you’ve already read it carefully, simply open it again so it’s marked as completed.
Proceed to the unit content, complete the test, fill out the survey, and click on Certificate.
You can download your certificate, and it will also be sent to your email.

Contact information

Zulma M. Cucunubá. Principal Investigator (zulma.cucunuba@javeriana.edu.co)
Laura Gómez-Bermeo. Training Coordinator (gomezblaura@javeriana.edu.co)
Proyecto TRACE-LAC tracelac@javeriana.edu.co