Global Health Governance & Diplomacy in Practice in Geneva at the World Health Assembly

The USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health provides students the opportunity to participate in the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.  As delegates, students can witness diplomacy and governance in action on the global stage.

PM 589: Global Health Governance and Diplomacy in Practice in Geneva (4 units) investigates the way health is organized and administered at the global level by exposing students to the inner workings of key global health organizations and integrating them directly into the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Health Organization. At the WHA, delegates from WHO Member States determine WHO policies for the year, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the program budget for WHO. Students will engage with the diverse organizations, consortia and networks engaged in global health, and be directly integrated into the international diplomacy processes governing health and global health funding. This course will allow students to apply the knowledge and skills from their coursework to engage in and analyze global policy processes. In addition, students will interact with global health organizations in Geneva to learn about their programs and operations. This will provide students with a deeper understanding of the work of diverse organizations involved in health globally and the various opportunities for future careers in global health. PM 578 (Global Health Governance & Diplomacy) is a recommended (not required) pre-requisite.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course, students will be equipped with knowledge, skills and abilities to:

  • Describe the role of major public and private sector players in global health governance and programming
  • Describe the forums through which global health governance is debated and formalized
  • Discuss current strengths and weaknesses in existing global health governance
  • Contribute to global policy processes in an appropriate manner

Learning Methods

A range of interactive and applied learning approaches will be employed in this course including but not limited to the following: self-directed learning (intensive study, reading, or research on particular issues), audiovisual materials (to showcase specific themes or topics), peer education (sharing of information, knowledge, skills or experience among students), direct engagement (students will be participating in the assembly as delegates) and class discussions (in-depth questions and answers)

Eligibility

This program is a four-unit course administered by the MPH program and is open to enrolled USC students. Priority will be given to applicants int he MPH program.

World Health Assembly Updates

Learn more

See specific information, including blog posts, social media highlights and annual summaries, in the pages listed below.

2019: USC at the 72nd World Health Assembly

2019: USC at the 72nd World Health Assembly

(more…)... read more →

2018: USC at the 71st World Health Assembly

A group of 11 USC students were embedded as delegates to NCD Alliance members at the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the annual course "Global Health Governance & Diplomacy in Practice i... read more →

2017: USC at the 70th World Health Assembly

A group of 10 students were embedded as delegates to NCD Alliance members at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, May 22-31.  (more…)... read more →
69th World Health Assembly

2016: USC at the 69th World Health Assembly

A group of 12 students were embedded as delegates to NCD Alliance members at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, May 23-28.  (more…)... read more →

2014: USC at the 67th World Health Assembly

Led by the USC Institute for Global Health, 13 Master of Public Health students were integrated in the 67th World Health Assembly as delegates with the International Diabetes Federation and the World Heart Foundation May 19-2... read more →

2013: USC at the 66th World Health Assembly

A group of nine MPH students representing the USC Institute for Global Health attended the 66th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland in late May 2013.  (more…)... read more →

2012: USC at the 65th World Health Assembly

A group of 14 MPH students representing the USC Institute for Global Health at the 65th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, spent the week blogging, tweeting and interviewing from various events. (more…)... read more →