An opportunity to discuss trans-disciplinary, cross-cultural, and inter-professional graduate programming

Building on the success of the innovative, international and transdisciplinary Master of Science in Global Health program, the doctoral program in Global Health at McMaster University prioritizes experiential learning, internationalization and innovation in higher education. With an aim to propel innovative research and solutions to emerging challenges, it focuses on the ideas, concepts, and topics that are evolving in the field.

The program strengthens McMaster’s existing partnership with Maastricht University in the Netherlands with a unique cotutelle agreement that provides an option for the PhD to be jointly recognized by both universities. Together, these partners form a higher education consortium working in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This month, McMaster Global Health PhD supervisors attended a luncheon and had the opportunity to meet in person for the first time since the launch of the program in 2020.  While the luncheon allowed for a more informal setting, at the top of the agenda was a discussion on the importance of trans-disciplinary, cross-cultural, and inter-professional graduate programming.

As the program enables increased research collaboration with a focus on pressing global challenges, “we recognize that global health education is critical as we work together to tackle the most significant challenges of our times,” explains Andrea Baumann, Associate V-P, Faculty of Health Sciences (Global Health) and director of the Global Health program.

To effectively address local and global challenges, as well as producing socially impactful research and employable graduates, there is a need to focus on gaining global perspectives and engage in ongoing dialogues to facilitate greater collaboration across disciplines and institutions. At McMaster, there is a collective of scholars focusing on global health issues in a local and global context which facilitates an integration of diverse perspectives.