Founded 2015 Executive Director Peter Drobac, MD, MPH | Location Rwanda, Africa | |
Type Private not-for-profit university Key people Paul Farmer, MD, MPH, Agnes Binagwaho, MD, M(Ped), PhD Hellen Amuguni, DVM, MA, PhD Affiliations Cummings Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, Government of Rwanda | ||
Founded in 2015, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) is a private, not-for-profit university established by Partners In Health (PIH), a global health and social justice organization founded by Dr. Paul Farmer.
Contents
- Origins
- Academics
- Master of Science in Global Health Delivery
- Executive Education
- Future Developments
- References
In its founding phase, UGHE has combined resources from the Government of Rwanda, Harvard Medical School, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, and international experts to create a global forum for delivery-focused teaching, research, clinical care, and implementation. Much of the curriculum is based on the One Health concept, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
Origins
In 2013, the Government of Rwanda and Partners In Health were considering building a medical school next to Butaro Hospital. At that same time, Joyce and Bill Cummings, founders of Cummings Foundation in Woburn, Massachusetts, visited Rwanda for the ribbon-cutting of Butaro Outpatient Cancer Infusion Center, whose construction had been funded by Cummings Foundation. During their visit, the Cummings shared an expanded vision for the proposed medical school that would be "pan-African" and would include multiple health science disciplines, including veterinary medicine, dentistry and nursing.
Paul Farmer responded to this idea by writing in an email, "What a great vision, and one that squares with the Rwandan vision of pulling people up by building a ‘knowledge’ economy while delivering care."
UGHE's website lists its "catalytic partners": Cummings Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Government of Rwanda. Cummings Foundation committed $15 million for Phase I of the University and was instrumental in raising matching funds from other sources.
Academics
UGHE has created a curricular platform specifically designed to take on the complex, multi-dimensional challenges of equitable care. Under the guidance of Dr. Hellen Amuguni of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, the courses emphasize the One Health model.
Master of Science in Global Health Delivery
The Master of Science in Global Health Delivery, UGHE's flagship academic program, offers a two-year part-time degree. Students complete their degrees in tandem with their full-time jobs and receive individual mentorship. In addition, students gain practicum experience, which fosters career development and professional networking, and equips them with effective problem-solving skills.
Executive Education
The Executive Education program is a distilled "short course" of the university's flagship Master of Science in Global Health Delivery. Professionals unable to dedicate a full two years to a degree program can take classes that incorporate interactive discourse centered around live and written case studies and on-site field visits to facilities in Rwanda.
Future Developments
UGHE began construction in summer 2016 on a brand new 250-acre campus, located in Rwanda's rural Burera district. Once completed, it will house 1,200 students plus medical professionals. The long-term vision for the university calls for a second major campus, to be located in Masaka Sector, Kicukiro District in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. These campuses were designed by Shepley Bulfinch, one of the oldest architecture firms in continuous practice in the United States.
UGHE also plans to expand its curriculum to include medical, nursing, dentistry, and veterinary degree programs. According to Dr. Peter Drobac, executive director, the target is to make the campus a global hub for innovation and healthcare delivery.