Collaborating in Planetary Health

Planetary Health is a solutions-oriented, transdisciplinary field and social movement focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth. It engages with the complex challenges resulting from the interaction between human existence and health. More than just a field of research, Planetary Health is an attitude towards life and a philosophy for living, emphasizing people, not diseases, and equity, not the creation of unjust societies.

The interaction between human existence and health is characterized by an intersectionality of sociological, economic, political, and medical factors. This requires future generations to collaborate across disciplines and to become the change agents that can come with collaborative, creative solutions to real world problems. In this course, students from different disciplines learn about, from and with each other while learning about Planetary Health and gaining experience with creative approaches to address related problems. This introductory course offers a unique possibility to engage with future challenges of this rapidly growing field.

Content

The course can be divided in 2 parts with individual preparation and collaborative activities. 

Students enter the course with different levels and backgrounds. To support students in acquisition of the required basic knowledge about Planetary health and related topics, students start individual preparation using podcasts and video's developed by ENLIGHT as well as scientific literature. Students can study and prepare on demand.

Podcasts and video's are developed by experts in Planetary Health from universities in the ENLIGHT network. In the podcasts 2 student assistants from Groningen will interview these experts about their topic. In the video's, the experts summarize the essence of a specific topic within Planetary Health.  

These resources serve as the foundation for online workshops where students will collaborate on real world problems related to Planetary Health. After getting acquainted, students develop a shared understanding of challenges related to Planetary Health and define possible approaches to address these challenges using a design thinking approach.  

By combining self-paced on-demand learning with interactive teamwork in the workshops, the course aims to create an engaging learning experience. This approach enables students to develop both individual understanding and collaborative problem-solving skills in preparation for real-world applications. 

In collaboration with participating ENLIGHT universities, a topic list has been formulated that covers a broad range of topics in Planetary Health. Together, the ENLIGHT network has experts on these topics that will contribute to the learning material. The list can be extended as the course develops further.

Topic list:

• Introduction into planetary health
• Planetary Health and Health equity
• Climate change and health 
• Antibiotic resistence
• Vector borne disease 
• (Drink)waterpollution 
• Sustainable healthcare 

Learning outcomes

After the course, students are able to:

• Explain the concept of planetary health and identify its major challenges;
• Apply the concept of intersectionality in the context of planetary health;
• Create and evaluate strategies to address global challenges related to planetary health; and
• Develop skills in interdisciplinary collaboration and education.

Programme

The course will be scheduled 2/year.

• Semester 1 October-November
• Semester 2 April-May

Students gain access to the on demand learning material through the Brightspace learning environment after enrolment.

Collaborative activities consist of three central online meetings with all participants:

• Meeting 1, late October; 1,5hrs from 18:00-19:30 (CEST or UTC+2) Content: Familiarizing with PH and fellow participants, dividing into student teams to work on project assignments.
• Meeting 2, early November; 1,5hrs from 18:00-19:30 (CEST or UTC+2) Content: Workshop Design Thinking; exchanging ideas about project assignments
• Meeting 3, late November; 1,5hrs from 18:00-19:30 (CEST or UTC+2) Content Final meeting and presentations; assessment and feedback

In addition to the central meetings, students are expected to schedule 3 or more online meetings with their student team to work on the assignment.

Assessment

For the educational project assessment, students will utilize a peer-assessment system. This involves students evaluating each other's work, providing constructive feedback, and assessing their peers based on predefined criteria. Peer assessment fosters engagement, critical thinking, and collaboration among students while offering diverse perspectives. It encourages self-reflection and skill refinement, contributing to a more comprehensive learning experience.

Lecturers

• Marco Versluis (UMCG, RUG)

• Hans Orru (Tartu University)

• Gorka Orive (Basque Country)

Please apply for this course using this google form: https://forms.gle/JsMRrWoPFkAXqBmy5

Interested students need to clarify possibilities of recognition of the course with their study programs. Students can plan most of the activities in line their schedules but there are 3 collective meetings that students are expected to attend.

For your application you will need to upload proof from your University that you are registered as a student. We also would like to receive a Curriculum Vitae. The deadline for application is October 1^st.

If you have any questions please contact your ENLIGHT coordinator:

University of the Basque Country: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Bern: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Bordeaux: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Comenius University Bratislava: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Galway: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ghent University: eThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

University of Göttingen: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

University of Groningen: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

University of Tartu: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Uppsala University: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We look forward to seeing you online!

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.