- What is the difference between the ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course and the ACQUIRE Experiential Leadership Course?
The ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course is a six-week online program in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), covering Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (QI). It includes 13 self-paced modules (17.5 hours total) and supports cohort-based learning through WhatsApp networking. Upon completion, participants receive an internationally recognized certificate.
Registration for 2025 opens in April, with priority given to healthcare institutions submitting six or more registrations.
The Experiential Leadership Course builds on the Theory Course, helping healthcare teams apply QI principles in real-world settings.This hands-on program supports leadership development, systemic improvements, and practical QI implementation. In 2025, the Experiential Leadership Course will be offered to three cohorts:
- C-suite leaders from Level 4 or 5 hospitals.
- QI teams from institutions with six or more Theory Course graduates.
- QI mentors and coaches documenting leadership insights in African healthcare.
The Theory Course lays the foundation, while the Experiential Course provides hands-on application and coaching for real-world improvements.
- What makes this ACQUIRE Experiential Leadership Course unique?
The ACQUIRE Experiential Leadership Course offers healthcare worker participants practical knowledge and skills in applying the science of quality improvement in their context. Hospital-based multi-disciplinary teams will select a quality improvement and patient safety project and then work with a mentor-coach, through a PDSA cycle based on their real-world data and root-cause analyses. In doing a QI project addressing a real-world issue within their institution participants will grow their skills in teamwork, communication, responding to adverse events, developing healthcare leadership skills, and implementing processes to strengthen patient-centered care among many other topics. After completion of the ACQUIRE leadership program, both the theory and experiential courses, participants will be able to lead quality improvement projects with PDSA cycles that result in measurable progress within their institutions.
- Which institutions are eligible to apply?
The ACQUIRE 2025 Experiential Leadership Course is available to those institutions that had at least 6 team members complete the ACQUIRE-IHI Basic Certificate Theory Course on Patient Safety and Quality Improvement. Those not eligible to apply did not have 6 team members from your institution complete the course. The 2025 ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course will be open for registration in April 2025 and we welcome you to encourage recruitment so you are eligible for the next Experiential Leadership Course.
- For institutions that have multiple participants who completed the 2024 ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course, can all of them qualify for the 2025 Experiential Leadership Course?
The ACQUIRE 2025 Experiential Leadership Course is limited to a select number of QI teams, as mentoring and coaching support for project implementation is also limited. Therefore, only a limited number of the strongest applications will be selected. There is no guarantee that any submitted application will meet the requirements or be accepted into the course. Institutions are welcome to submit applications for as many teams as they wish, but as the process is competitive, we encourage internal peer review before final submission to strengthen the quality of applications.
- How many participants can be part of the team?
ACQUIRE invites your institution to assemble a QI team primarily composed of healthcare workers (at least six participants) who have completed the ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course. However, we recognize that certain project needs may require additional team members who have not completed the theory course, and their inclusion is encouraged when relevant, as the core focus of the experiential program is fostering a cohesive and collaborative QI team. (Please highlight any such team members and their intended contributions in your application)
- Are there any financial costs related to the courses?
The ACQUIRE Theory Leadership Course is a six-week virtual training program in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), valued at $399. However, enrolment through ACQUIRE is offered at no cost to participants.
The Experiential Leadership Course is a 16-week mentored/coached experiential peer-learning opportunity for healthcare workers in Africa. Comparable courses start at $995/person. However, enrolment through ACQUIRE is offered at no cost to participants.
- How are the courses structured?
The Theory Leadership Course is self-paced, consisting of 13 modules that require an estimated 17.5 hours to complete over six weeks. Participants can progress at their own pace while building foundational knowledge and are supported by weekly leaderboards via Whatsapp groups.
The Experiential Leadership Course is fully remote and runs for 16 weeks, from Thursday, March 6, to Thursday, June 26, 2025. Discussion meetings take place every other Thursday for two hours via Zoom. Participants work as a multi-disciplinary team with the online support of an assigned coach. The course emphasizes action-based learning, where teams commit to identifying gaps in their projects and implementing improvement actions. The Experiential Course provides structured guidance while allowing teams to apply their learning in real-time within their institutions.
Each QI Team participant is expected to show-up for all the learning sessions and take an active role in the project, contributing meaningfully to discussions, decision-making, and implementation. Responsibilities and assignments should be balanced within the team based on mutual agreement to ensure fair participation. The course is designed for collaborative learning, where all team members engage fully, share insights, and support one another. All participate, all learn.
- What criteria will be used to select QI teams for the ACQUIRE 2025 Experiential Leadership Course?
Selection for the ACQUIRE 2025 Experiential Leadership Course will be competitive, with a limited number of QI teams accepted. To identify a strong QI project, start by looking at areas of excellence within your institution. Consider processes, practices, or innovations that are working well in one department—how might they be applied, adapted, or scaled to improve other areas? A strong QI project should focus on leveraging success to drive measurable improvement. Key considerations include:
The selection team will assess applications based on the following key criteria:
- QI Project feasibility – Is the project idea scoped down to something achievable within the 4-month course timeline?
- Multi-disciplinary team composition – Does the proposed team bring diverse expertise to ensure a well-rounded approach?
- Institutional support – Is hospital leadership willing to back the initiative with time and resources?
- Measurability – What are you trying to measure? Is the problem measurable? Can performance be tracked over time to demonstrate improvement? How often does the QI problem occur per day, week, or month? If it happens only a few times per month, it may be difficult to implement meaningful improvements in the 16 week cycle.
- Scalability – Can this effective practice be implemented in other units or departments?
- Is there any Opportunity for guidance during the application process before the submission deadline?
Yes, applicants who submit their drafts before Tuesday, 18th February, will receive feedback if they require guidance before the final submission. However, please keep in mind that the final deadline remains Sunday, 23rd February, 2025.
- What is the certification or recognition?
Graduates of the theory and experiential leadership courses receive a certificate upon completion. Most regulators will be able to compute the number of credits from this QI project in order for it to count toward continuing medical education (CME) credits.
- How can those interested in ACQUIRE’s Leadership Program continue to learn about Quality Improvement and Patient Safety?
Participants are encouraged to stay connected by joining our Community of Practice WhatsApp group. The community is made up of Connect with fellow QI Champions and join the topic-based group you are most interested in. subscribing to the ACQUIRE newsletter on our website https://acquirefrontline.org/ and stay up to date on webinars and other opportunities.
- Can ACQUIRE provide a letter to formalize application to the Experiential Leadership Course?
Yes. If your institution requires a formal letter to the leadership to support application to the ACQUIRE 2025 Experiential Leadership Course, send us an email note to acquirequalityimprovement@gmail.com and we can prepare one for you.
