ISGlobal-UB 2022/2023 Master's Programmes Conclude with Graduation

The Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB) was filled with an atmosphere of achievement and pride as the Master of Global Health and Master of Clinical Research: International Health track programmes celebrated the graduation of their students on July 6, 2023.

The ceremony began with congratulatory remarks from Antoni Plasència, ISGlobal General Director and Co-Director of the Master of Global Health , and Núria Casamitjana, ISGlobal Education and Training Director, Co-director of the Master of Global Health and coordinator of the Master of Clinical Research: International Health track programme . Both praised the graduating class of 2022-23 for their dedication and hard work throughout their academic journey and encouraged them to meet the challenges ahead.

Joan Tallada, Professor in the Master of Global Health programme, was chosen by the students to deliver the closing remarks, reflecting on a personal journey in global health. Marcos Bouza and Silvia Gómez, representing both programmes, shared their thoughts and gratitude on behalf of their fellow graduates. 

Prior to the graduation ceremony, from 3 to 5 July, students presented their Master’s Final Projects before faculty tribunals. The projects showcased an impressive range of research topics, addressing pressing global health issues.

Projects from the Master of Global Health programme 

• The Barcelona Superblocks: A Public Policy Design Evaluation
• Green Spaces and Natural All-Cause Mortality: A Health Impact Assessment Study of the Green Axis Plan
• A scoping review on occupational carcinogen exposure and cancer risk among migrant workers in the Middle East
• Air pollution and systemic immune biomarkers in early life: A systematic review
• Predicting minute ventilation for the calculation of the inhaled dose of air pollution in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Health System’s Response to Violence Against Women: a documentary review in Spain, Argentina, and India
• Acceptability of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines in West African Migrants living in Catalonia
• A qualitative rapid assessment on views, perceptions, and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Mozambique
• Adapting to Uncertainty; COVID-19's Impact and Response on West-African Migrants in Catalonia
• A Scoping Review of the Acceptability of Minimally Invasive Autopsies: Qualitative and Mixed Method Studies
• CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to predict the risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in kidney transplantation: a cost-utility analysis
• Barriers to and gaps within the implementation of Nepal’s Disaster Management Plan in the Himalayan region
• Migrant health data collection: challenges for the health systems and perceptions of migrants
• The Willingness of Migrant Populations in Barcelona to Seek Dental Care: A Study Protocol and Pilot
• The implications of COVID-19 on Mental Health for Non-Native Populations in Spain: A Cohort Study
• Human Papilloma Virus in National Immunization Programs: facilitators and constraints to integration in key Sub- Saharan African countries
• What factors explain the increase in maternal complications in pregnant Non-Hispanic Black Women versus Non-Hispanic White Women in the St. Louis, Missouri area?: Examining the extent of disparity from 2010-2022
• Factors influencing the use of obstetric care during childbirth in rural Sudan
• Burden and Clinical characterization of RSV associated acute respiratory infections in African pregnant women
• Health-Related Quality-of-Life associated with Chagas disease in Argentina and Spain, and Cost of a cohort of Chagas disease patients in Spain
• Looking Back to Look Forward: A Retrospective Analysis of COVID-19 Strategies in Select Countries for Improved Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Projects from the Master of Clinical Research: International Health track programme

• Implementation of eHealth strategies offering self-sampling kits to screen for HIV and other STIs among gay, bisexual, other men who have sex with men, trans women, and PrEP users in Catalonia
• Molecular Approaches to Study Cryptic Infection in Human Malaria caused by Plasmodium Vivax
• Investigating Stakeholders´ Preferences on the Characteristics of Potential Vaccines for Chagas Disease
• COVID-19 and health systems in Low-Middle-Income Countries: a general overview with a focus on Gabon

ISGlobal is proud of the achievements of these graduates and their dedication to health equity. Said Núria Casamitjana, “their time as Master’s candidates has come to a close, and now we look forward with anticipation to seeing the positive impact our alumni will make for people around the world.”