Community Health in Moving Populations: A Virtual Mobility Exchange with Universidad del Rosario:
This winter term, MSc Global Health students have the opportunity to take part in a virtual mobility exchange with our partner institution Universidad del Rosario. The elective track Community Health in Moving Populations uses virtual learning strategies to provide local and international students the possibility to learn about the context of health and well-being in Colombian communities. This collaboration promotes virtual student mobility and aligns with the university’s commitment to global citizenship, internationalization, and prioritization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The goal of the exchange is for students to learn about the dynamics of vulnerable communities; understand the strengths and weaknesses of the health system; and experience doing global health research in another language. McMaster University students, working alongside of students from partner university Maastricht University are matched with students from Universidad del Rosario and with a Colombian family. This insight into the lived experience of the families encourages the development of strategies to overcome communication and financial barriers, and interpersonal skills that can only be acquired through practical experience. In the final weeks of the course, students will develop a health program aimed to improve the health status of Colombian people.
Through hearing about the daily struggles of Colombian families, MSc student Raya Semeniuk looks to translate theory into practice, specifically by developing a project proposal which draws on local resources and knowledge. “It is a very unique and engaging experience” Raya says, “where I am able to witness first-hand (well virtual) poverty and issues that I will be faced with upon graduation while I am working in the global health field”. Throughout the semester, Raya hopes to gain a deeper understand of how culture and gender influence our priorities and how to consistently involve beneficiaries in all steps of an intervention, Furthermore, she reflects on how the exchange provides a deeper insight into the inequitable impacts of COVID-19 as the communities have been disproportionately impacted.
Andrea Baumann, Associate V-P of Global Health notes, “With the ability to use virtual platforms for our exchange programs, we are continuing to create experiential learning opportunities for our students. That means enabling them to learn from and experience culture and health systems worldwide.”
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