Beyond the Digital Platform: Building Trust, Leadership, and Learning in Global Primary Care Partnerships

In May 2026, faculty and partners from the University of Toronto's Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) came together to present an interactive workshop at the DFCM Conference in Toronto. The workshop was very well attended and generated thoughtful discussion among faculty, learners, and health system leaders.

The workshop, Beyond the Digital Platform: Building Trust, Leadership, and Learning in Global Primary Care Partnerships, explored a question that is increasingly relevant in global health education: How do we build meaningful, sustainable partnerships in an era where so much collaboration takes place online?

Drawing on four years of collaboration through the Africa Health Collaborative, Canadian and Ghanaian faculty leaders shared lessons from co-created educational programs in quality improvement in healthcare, epidemic preparedness, community emergency care, pre-hospital emergency care, and palliative care.

Participants reflected on an important reality: while digital technologies have transformed how we connect, recruit learners, evaluate programs, and sustain communities of practice, technology alone does not create trust, leadership, or lasting system change.

Through panel discussions, small-group dialogue, and interactive reflection, attendees explored how effective partnerships are built through reciprocity, shared leadership, presence, and mutual learning. Discussions highlighted both the opportunities digital tools create for access and equity, and the continuing importance of in-person engagement for building relationships, credibility, and contextual understanding.

A central message emerged: successful global partnerships are not defined by technology, but by how technology is used to strengthen human relationships. Digital platforms enable collaboration across continents, but meaningful learning and sustainable impact depend on intentional relationship-building, local leadership, and shared ownership.

For the DFCM–KNUST partnership, this principle is foundational. Our work is grounded in co-creation, community-defined priorities, and reciprocal learning. Together, faculty in Ghana and Canada are developing educational opportunities, strengthening leadership capacity, fostering communities of practice, and supporting locally relevant health system improvement.

The workshop also underscored the importance of knowledge sharing and dissemination. As partnerships evolve, sharing lessons learned, innovations, and evidence helps strengthen connections across institutions and enables others to build on both successes and challenges.

As the Africa Health Collaborative continues to grow, this workshop served as a reminder that the future of global health education lies not only in digital innovation, but also in our collective commitment to learning together, sharing knowledge, and building relationships that endure.

As we continue to expand opportunities for collaboration and learning, we remain committed to sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships, and advancing primary health care across Ghana, Canada, and beyond.