Symposium 2019: Reflections from the weekend conference

Wow, what an amazing two days it has been! From listening to the inspiring plenary speakers, to getting the opportunity of presenting our own projects, to learning from our peers and seeing what innovative work they’re doing, it’s been such an incredible experience.

Reflecting back, this conference was a very unique opportunity that enriched our learning. Specifically, we were able to engage with our academic colleagues from across the globe. What is so unique about this conference, that I believe is totally different from other conferences, is the aspect of collaborative learning. This conference provides you with the opportunity to present your work, receive feedback from your colleagues and faculty members, and notably, engage in active discussion surrounding your presentation and topic. This collaborative learning aspect allows you to learn from one another and discuss the different ways of thinking, knowing, and doing – all of which informs your research project. For example, one student told me that they got inspired by the methodologies presented at one of the presentations, in which this method actually suited their project more, and ultimately this informed and improved their scholarly paper work.

Not only did we get to present our work, we also had the opportunity to learn more about different topics within the field of global health. From exploring health systems, to global health governance, mental health, infectious diseases, along with many others, we all got a taste of the diversity that is found within the realm of global health. Listening to our colleagues present their research with passion and engaging in discussion with them has been a wonderful learning experience.

This conference also provided us with opportunities to continue exploring the cultural delicacies in Manipal, such as through the different nutritional breaks and banana leaf dinner. All of the plenary speakers were also very inspiring and motivating, informing our cultural understandings and the complexities within global health.

To conclude, this two-day conference has been instrumental to our learning – driving our personal and professional development as future global health leaders. Let’s all continue to learn from one another; continue to share our own ideas, experiences, and stories with one another; and continue to grow together as strong global health professionals around the world. 

Hunster Yang