Global Health and Science Communication Global Health and Science Communication

The term Global Health signifies the evolution of public health and international health in the face of increasing globalisation, determinants of health with relevance across national borders, existing and emerging health challenges, and issues of national and international health governance. The concept considers health a universal good and equitable access to healthcare a human right. Research, awareness-raising, and advocacy for global health are more important now than ever before and call for close and intensive international cooperation and communication.

The communication of science and research to the public and relevant stakeholders is crucial in our age; yet communication that does not effectively address the needs of its audiences will not achieve its objectives. The dissemination of research findings to fellow experts via fora such as scientific papers and conferences remains a vital component of science communication. Alongside these channels, new and innovative formats such as short videos, podcasts and science slams have the potential to make scientific knowledge accessible and appealing to a much wider audience.

It is against this backdrop that we are holding an international virtual Winter School as a forum for discussion of issues such as:

• What are the social dimensions of global pandemics?
• What is digitalisation in public health supposed to do, what is it capable of doing, and where are its limits?
• Why do endeavours to reduce global-scale threats to health call for a better understanding of the interactions between human, animal and ecological health?
• Why is climate change a global health crisis?
• How can we, as global health stakeholders, communicate more clearly and effectively on the scientific issues surrounding health to policymakers and the general public?

The intent of the Winter School is to link the two fields of global health and science communication. If you would like to learn more about these issues and connect with peers from all over the world, we would love to hear from you.

We have carefully selected the topics of the academic ideas sessions to address the various interests of our international participants and harness the potential of the diverse backgrounds and experiences they bring to the group. We intend them to inspire you and provide insights into some current global health challenges and potential solutions. The workshops will complement the ideas sessions by enabling participants to practise their skills in activities designed around the topics discussed.

The host of this online Winter School is Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), Germany’s third largest institution of its kind. We are looking forward to welcoming students from all over the world to connect and share ideas, insights, and inspiration in an international and intercultural atmosphere.

The participants will be awarded certificates on successful completion of the course.

This Winter School is generously funded by:  German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).