Weekend Conference sparks dialogue about collaboration in an ever-shifting world

The annual Global Health Learning Symposium is taking place in Manipal, India at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) from April 17-29, 2023.  This year, innovating into the newest configuration of an in-person symposium plus an online option addresses concerns of equity and inclusion in ways that accommodate global concerns.

Annually the symposium brings together over 350 students and 37 faculty from McMaster University and its partner institutions in the Netherlands, India, Colombia, Thailand, Sudan, and Norway.

As a core component of the Global Health Learning Symposiums, in-person and online, the Weekend Conference and Abstract Presentation sessions simulate a scientific conference experience where students from across partnership universities formally present their thesis research proposals and scholarly paper abstracts.

The Weekend Conference held at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) held from April 22-23, 2023, was inaugurated by the Lighting of the Lamp and Official Welcome by the acting Founding Director of the Prassana School of Public Health, MAHE, Dr. Helmut Brand. Inspiring students as current and future global health professionals, he highlighted that the current challenges of our time require a collaborative approach that embraces a shifting planet.

Throughout the conference, in plenary presentations, expert speakers discussed local and global health challenges such as building resilient health systems, community medicine, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and environmental health.

Public Health specialist, Dr. Carolin Elizabeth George, in her talk titled Cities’ Invisible Millions and their Encounter with the COVID-19 Pandemic, highlighted the experience of communities living in the DJ Halli slum in Mangalore, India. Her talk reflected her passion and interest in universal access to healthcare and health equity remarking that, “the COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for systemic changes and whenever dignity is compromised, it is a threat.”

In the closing session, Dr. Bertrand Lefebvre, Associate Professor of Global Health at École des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, School of Public Health (France), discussed his research focusing on the inequalities of exposure to environmental hazards (air pollution) in the context of large metropolitan areas in Asia. Providing an multisectoral and interdisciplinary approach, his talk explored the governance of air quality in Indian cities and posed the question, “do inequalities in exposure matter?”

Student presentations throughout the weekend were divided thematically using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and topics ranged from migrant and refugee health, mental health, maternal and child health, and infectious diseases. This year, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities) are among the top themes.

The objective is to provide students with an experiential international learning experience, receive feedback from peers and global health experts on individual research projects, network with fellow students, and critically learn about cultural diversity. This provides them with the opportunity to present in an environment where discussion, ideas, and constructive criticism are valued.

Throughout the concurrent symposiums, the importance of SDGs and internationalization are highlighted as students from around the world can share diverse and innovative perspectives on how to progress sustainability and equitably, both locally and globally.