Global Health

COURSES AND PROGRAMMES CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Why

The history of global (international) health has long been linked and evolved with globalization. Rooted in the evolution of the movement of people, goods and services, global health today remains deeply intertwined with broader socioeconomic, cultural, legal and political factors. The multidisciplinary field engages on issues broader than those directly linked to health, transcending borders to address determinants of health, and inequities for better health outcomes.

Yet, global health remains inextricably linked with the historical trajectory of international health; it continues to be challenged by agendas driven by self-interests, as some of the responses to COVID-19 demonstrated such as the inequitable access to vaccines. It is confronted by persisting inequities, demographic and epidemiological changes, and climate change. Global health governance, often challenged by non-state actors, has in itself been criticized for its lumbering approach to decision making. However, there is inspiration in movements and efforts to collaborate with multiple stakeholders and leverage social justice movements.

Today, humanity is increasingly confronted with multiple crises which impact global health. Political, social and financial instability and inequities; climate change and ecological changes; conflict, displacement and forced migration, alongside demographic and epidemiological changes and emerging diseases. In this era of polycrisis, global health is faced with unprecedented challenges, impacting international and national systems and therefore affecting the vulnerable disproportionately.

What

Responding to polycrisis requires an understanding of the causal mechanisms which link global systems to health and (health) systems. It requires taking a multidisciplinary approach, as well as concerted and responsive actions by actors from many backgrounds and sectors, towards a safer, healthier and more sustainable future.

The three-week course on global health in times of crises illustrates how health (and global health) is intertwined with social, political and economic factors. In an increasingly interconnected world, global health crises can reflect and demonstrate global dynamics, cooperation and power structures, highlight inequities, and reveal their influence on the strengths and weaknesses of systems. Understanding these complex dynamics can inform preparedness and response to future crises, and therefore strengthen systems at global and national level at large, keeping in mind health equity, human rights, and planetary boundaries. 

For whom

Are you a health or a development professional, a researcher, or a policymaker? Are you eager to engage on interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral issues to understand the wider dynamics of global health to prepare health systems which sustain and improve health in times of crises? Then this course is for you!

By whom

ITM teaching staff and guest lecturers bring expertise from different disciplines, such as public health, political, and social sciences. Our staff and lecturers bring experiences from a broad array of countries, from their experience in different local, national and international organisations, as well as civil society organisations.

Together with teaching staff and a diverse group of course participants, you will engage in discussions, illustrations and case studies from various contexts, fostering international exchange and comparative analysis.