Masters’ Students’ Educational Trip to WHO Headquarters, Geneva

Bringing Theory to Life: MPH Students’ Educational Trip to WHO Headquarters, Geneva

In public health, the best way to truly understand how concepts come to life is to experience them firsthand. While textbooks and lectures provide the foundation, real-world application is where the magic happens.

Since 2008, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training at Imperial College London has been facilitating a transformative educational trip to the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva for Master of Public Health (MPH) students. This experience allows students to step out of the classroom and into the heart of global health, where theory meets practice in the most meaningful way.

The trip, which takes place every year, has become an essential part of the MPH program. It provides students with direct exposure to WHO’s work, allowing them to engage with global health leaders and experts, participate in enriching sessions, and visit key international organisations like the International Labour Organization (ILO), Red Cross, United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, etc. This immersive experience helps students better understand how global health policies are shaped and implemented, while offering them a broader perspective on international health systems and challenges.

Through engaging directly with global health experts, exploring the operational side of international health policy, and visiting key institutions students have the unique opportunity to see how the concepts they’ve studied come to life. This trip offers more than just presentations; it’s a chance to understand the complexities of implementing solutions to health challenges worldwide. This invaluable experience bridges the gap between what students learn in their MPH program and how those lessons translate into real-life global health strategies and solutions.

Learning Outcomes of the trip:

Through this trip, students gain the following key insights:

• Understanding the WHO’s Role in Global Health: Students are able to explore WHO’s mandate, how it works with member states, and the challenges it faces in addressing global health issues.
• Key International Health Initiatives: Students learn about critical global health efforts like the Pandemic Accord, vaccine equity, and strategies for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
• Collaboration Between Global Health Stakeholders: The trip underscores the importance of coordination between organizations such as WHO, ILO, and various governments in tackling global health challenges.
• Real-World Applications: Students apply their MPH academic knowledge to real-life global health issues discussed during sessions, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

The 2024 trip was another remarkable chapter in this tradition, with 25 MPH students gaining insights that will shape their academic and professional futures. To have a closer look at what they experienced, please see full report on last year’s trip see below: