ISGlobal Welcomes New Students for the 2024-2025 Academic Year

The 2024-2025 academic year has officially begun for the University of Barcelona (UB) and ISGlobal Master's programmes, with 41 new students enrolled in the three specialised courses. These students, who come from 21 different countries, will follow one of the following programmes: the Master of Global Health (21 students), the tropEd Master of Global Health (8 students), and the Master of Clinical Research: International Health track (12 students).

Welcoming the New Students

A welcome and orientation session was held on 13 September 2024 at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona, in the Aula Manuel Corachan. The event marked the beginning of the academic year and served as an introduction to both the academic content and the practical aspects of the programmes.

According to Núria Casamitjana, who is both co-director of the Master of Global Health and coordinator of the Master of Clinical Research: International Health track, “The varied experiences and interests of this new group of Master's students reflect the diverse and rapidly-evolving field of Global Health. We look forward to accompanying them during this year as they develop their skills as practitioners and researchers dedicated to increasing health equity around the world.”

Inaugural Lecture

Classes officially started on 16 September, and on 20 September the Master's programmes held its annual Inaugural Lecture. This event, attended by both the students and the wider ISGlobal community, was an intellectual highlight of the start of the academic year. Professor Oscar Noya, from the Central University of Venezuela- Institute of Tropical Medicine, delivered a lecture entitled "Tropical Medicine in the Context of Global Health," in which he emphasised the critical role of tropical medicine in today’s rapidly changing world, particularly in the face of challenges such as climate change. He also highlighted the importance of a "One Health" approach to tackling global health threats. Professor Belkisyolé Alarcón de Noya, also from the Central University of Venezuela, followed with her presentation on the “Globalisation of Chagas Disease,” discussing how migration and climate change are contributing to the spread of Chagas disease beyond its traditional endemic regions and into urban areas around the world.

Reflecting on the significance of the lectures, Casamitjana said, “They have brought their unique insights into tropical medicine and Chagas disease, as well as on the broader panorama of global health today to our Master's programmes -- we think that there is no better way to open the academic year than to learn from researchers with such extraordinary experience.”

Collaboration and Expertise

Dr Noya and Dr Alarcón de Noya’s visit extended beyond their lectures. For two days, the distinguished professors engaged with ISGlobal representatives, focusing on discussions around Chagas disease, infectious diseases, and international health. Their visit further solidified the collaboration between the Universidad Central de Venezuela and ISGlobal, enhancing the exchange of knowledge in these critical areas of global health research.