Global Health Solutions
Global Health Solutions is for students who want to solve real-life global health challenges.
The University of Copenhagen’s innovation center, UCPH Lighthouse, will host this case solution where students from various disciplines participate in teams to come up with the best solution to a given challenge.
Global Health Solutions is open for all master-level and PhD students at the entire university as well as other educational institutions.
Stay tuned in Spring for the announcement of cases and case providers.
This case solution is part of an international SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Summer School programme. The winning team will earn a spot at an international SDG competition on 26 September 2024 in Paris.
About the program
Global Health Solutions is a three-day course designed to strengthen university students’ problem-solving competencies and increase their engagement in real-world global health related issues.
Through a combination of academic skills and innovative thinking, 50 students will collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to come up with the best solution to a case question provided by an external public or private partner. Each team present their solution both in writing and as a short oral pitch to a panel of examiners on the final day.
The course starts with a case presentation by the case provider after which students work in teams to come up with the best solution. The on-campus program is dedicated to case-solving and teamwork. Underway, each team will also be given feedback from relevant resource persons.
The course will provide you with in-depth knowledge about the principles of innovation, entrepreneurship and feasibility, effective communication, stakeholder mapping as well as the complexities within global health innovation and the selected global health challenge such as equity, social justice, individual privileges, power dynamics and the post-colonial influence on global health.
You will acquire the skills to identify, assess and integrate facts and data relevant to the case into the solution as well as apply innovation and problem-solving methods. You will learn how to co-create and communicate in a multidisciplinary and international context, and how to pitch your ideas persuasively.
The course is aimed at master's and PhD students. You can apply, if you have completed a bachelor's degree (or equivalent).
The course is aimed at students as well as professionals in all academic fields with an interest in global health and innovation.
You must be able to read and write English at a scientific level.
Selection process
After the application deadline the admissions committee will go through all the applications and select the course participants. Applicants are encouraged to put energy and care into the motivation-section of the online application, as this is the main selection criteria.
If you have not completed your bachelor degree on date of application, you must upload relevant documentation on how far you have reached in your studies at this point (credit wise etc.) as well as an account (signed by a Study Secretary or other authority) of how far you will have reached by summer, proving this is equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
Participants are requested to prepare individually online via lectures, readings and other resources. Some common resources will be made available, some should be identified and selected by the participants themselves to fill gaps.
On the first day on campus the case question is revealed and the teams begin their case work. The following three days will be devoted to group work to develop solutions and presentations supported by one-on-one coaching sessions on pitching underway. Also, resource persons will be available to give feedback to each team.
On the last day on-campus, the groups will pitch their solutions and receive feedback from a panel of examiners. Afterwards there will be a session where there will be room for peer-to-peer comments and discussions as well as feedback from the examiners.
The application deadline is 1 April 23:59 (CEST). The application forms opens mid-January.
You apply through the online form below. Please note, that we do not accept late applications.
Upon submitting your application, you receive an e-mail receipt. Please keep this for future reference. Make sure to check your spam filter, if you do not receive the receipt.
You will receive the result of your application 3 - 4 weeks after the application deadline.
Note: If you have problems with the application form, please try a different browser, and make sure your files are not too large or the file names does not contain special characters.
If you have questions about the course content, please write to CaseChallenge@sund.ku.dk
Course director: Lasse Jensen
Course administration: Morten Mechlenborg Nørulf
Accommodation: Please note that the summer courses are non-residential. Participants are responsible for finding and funding accommodation during their stay in Copenhagen.
You can use different online portals to search for accommodation, such as:
- Airbnb
- Danhostel
- Hostel World
- UCPH Housing Foundation (acceptance letter from UCPH required)
Copenhagen has an international airport, and the city centre can be reached within 30 minutes. If you want additional information read Arriving in Copenhagen.
Please study our websites for more information about Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the University of Copenhagen.