Global skills opportunity 

Developing Skilled Future Leaders in Strengthening Health and Social Systems

This project will enable emerging leaders within McMaster University’s undergraduate community to build knowledge and skills to support health- and social-system strengthening internationally. We will leverage McMaster Health Forum’s programs to support skills development in policy, political and systems analysis, evidence synthesis, and stakeholder engagement, while building on our experience with student mentorship, leadership development and facilitating international exchange. We will also leverage our extensive network of international partners (e.g., 57 global members of the COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END) and those involved in the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges) to support meaningful international experiences.

While open to all undergraduate students, the national program targets groups for whom international experiences have traditionally been less accessible — specifically Indigenous students, students from low-income backgrounds, and those with disabilities. It also aims to diversify the destination countries where Canadian students pursue international learning.

If you are interested in learning more about this scholarship opportunity, find out how to apply and what to expect.

International partners

The McMaster Health Forum is proud to partner with the following organizations who have agreed to host undergraduate students over the course of the program:

Africa
South Africa Centre for Evidence, South Africa
REACH Policy at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences, Uganda

Americas
Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CCHSRD), Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Trinidad and Tobago
Faculty of Medicine at the Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

Eastern Mediterranean
Knowledge to Policy Center at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon

South Asia
The George Institute for Global Health, India

East Asia
Evidence-Based Medicine Center of Lanzhou University, China

Western Pacific
Institute for Health Systems Research at the Ministry of Health, Malaysia

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