Table 1 Adaptation of Smith and Shiffman’s framework [19] to global health education for graduate public health programs

Ideas

The ways in which those involved with the issue understand and portray it.

Internal frame:

• Diversity in views regarding the meaning of global health.

• Recognition that public health is now global but concerns regarding need to focus on domestic ‘local’ health.

• Global health education essential but diversity on the ways to integrate in the public health curriculum.

External frame:

• Sensitization of employers and prospective students required as understanding of global health is poor.

Actor power

The strength of the individuals and organizations concerned with global health education.

Public health education community cohesion:

• No clear global health community exists to drive the agenda.

Leadership:

• Orientation and faculty exposure to global health is mixed.

• Well-trained faculty with global exposure needed to advance global health curriculum.

• International interactions, collaboration and partnerships required to drive global health education.

Guiding institutions - Institutional readiness:

• National landscape and priorities: public health education programs are still relatively new in India.

• International academic partnerships are manifold and essential to drive global health education.

Stakeholder mobilization:

• Multilateral organizations are potentially a key partner but are not actively engaged in education.

• Engagement of potential employers who do not currently understand global health.

Educational contexts

The environments in which actors operate.

Curricular context:

• Foundational public health competencies are essential before building global health competencies.

• Limited opportunity to include global health in the existing public health curriculum due to competing priorities.

• Views on inclusion of global health in the curriculum ranged from a module to a specialization. Executive global health course after public health program is a preferred option.

Global frameworks:

• Need for standardization of global health curriculum across different settings.

Issue characteristics

Features of the problem.

Important considerations:

• Public health education is relatively new in India.

• Global health education is embryonic and fragmented.

• ‘Local context’ is important for adaptation of global health competency frameworks.

Challenges:

• Opportunities for faculty to develop international partnerships and student exchange.

• Limited job opportunities and employability concerns for global health professionals.

Effective Interventions:

• Partnerships between HIC and LMIC may facilitate effective global health education.