The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare two fundamental truths for Canadians: global health challenges do not recognize borders, and the health of the world's population is intertwined with broader issues, including wealth disparity, environmental degradation, government policy and human rights. York’s Faculty of Health has long been at the forefront of research and training that is rooted in these realities and is committed to improving health outcomes, both locally and globally. The Faculty’s Global Health program is one of the cornerstones of this commitment.
Described by Maclean’s Magazine as one of York University’s “standout programs,” the Global Health program was the first dedicated undergraduate (BA and BSc) global health program in Canada. Launched in 2014, the program allowed students to choose a specialization tailored to individual career interests, including Global Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Now, this ground-breaking program will become part of a new School of Global Health. Officially launched in July 2020, it will continue to educate the next generation of global health professionals and leaders to address complex global challenges. Taking the step from program to School will foster the most favourable conditions for growing the program, thanks to the enhanced capacity for intensified research and graduate training.
For Torontonian Dr. A.M. Viens, the Inaugural Director of the School of Global Health, the prospect of returning home after 15 years in Europe was enticing, but the opportunity to contribute and shape global health as a field of study, discipline, and area of practice was a decisive factor. With degrees in philosophy and law from the Universities of Toronto, Oxford, and London, Dr. Viens’ research specialization focuses on global health ethics and law. He is a member of the Global Strategy Lab and the WHO Collaboration Centre on the Global Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance. He is also an Honorary Member of the UK Faculty of Public Health and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.
Currently, there are 575 students enrolled in the undergraduate global health degree program, but a highly innovative doctoral program will soon to be launched. The global health program to date boasts 94 alumni. Graduates have gone on to careers in research, policy, and nursing, while others have continued on to graduate school and medical school.
“Global health is the future,” writes Dr. Viens. “The greatest threats and opportunities facing the world and future generations hinge on how well we can assure the conditions under which people can be healthy. Whether it is air pollution and climate change, antimicrobial resistance, noncommunicable diseases, or the next pandemic, our shared vulnerability and ability to work collaboratively will determine how bright this future is.”
As we contemplate global health issues from our current vantage point, the establishment of a School of Global Health is both prescient and timely, and more critically important than ever.