From July 6 to 17, the Fudan University 2026 Global Health Summer School is being held at the Fenglin Campus, jointly organized by the Fudan Institute for Advanced Studies in Global Health and the Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity. As one of Fudan University's flagship international summer programs for graduate students, this year's program brings together cutting-edge scholars and practice-based innovators. Senior leaders and internationally recognized experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the University of Geneva, the University of Malta, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and other institutions are serving as faculty. More than 50 outstanding master's and doctoral students and senior undergraduates from multiple countries - China, Australia, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, and Thailand are acting heatedly.
Global Health in Action: A Dynamic Start
Professor Fan Wu, Deputy Dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, addresses the opening ceremony
At the opening ceremony, Professor Fan Wu, Vice Dean of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, warmly welcomed faculty and students from around the world. She noted that the global public health landscape continues to evolve amid intersecting challenges, including climate change, regional conflict, and the concurrent burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases.Thus, stronger global health cooperation and interdisciplinary talent development are morevital than ever. She also encouraged participants to draw on their interdisciplinary and cross-cultural strengths, broaden their global perspectives through mutual learning, deepen their networks for collaboration, and grow into a new generation of young leaders capable of advancing global healthin the future. She expressed the hope that they would contribute ideas and action toward a fairer and healthier system of global health governance.
Dr. Anthony Mounts, independent consultant to The Task Force for Global Health, addresses the opening ceremony
Speaking on behalf of the guest faculty, Dr. Anthony Mounts, an independent consultant to The Task Force for Global Health, addressed the opening ceremony on collaboration in global public health. Drawing on his extensive experience in global infectious disease control and health security, he emphasized that global health challenges transcend national borders and that international cooperation, mutual trust and support, and information sharing are essential to solutions. Citing the global eradication of smallpox, he described how technical experts from different countries overcame differences through resource sharing, open data, and joint decision-making to achieve a landmark public health success. He encouraged participants to build international networks, strengthen their capacity for cross-cultural collaboration, and contribute to the future of global health.
Professor Jinkou Zhao outlines the course framework and core content
Professor Jinkou Zhao, Global Health Expert and Program Director, introduced the curriculum framework, learning objectives, and core content of the summer school. He encouraged participants to take an active role in the program, deepen their understanding of emerging issues through direct engagement with leading international experts, expand their global outlook, and develop the competencies and innovative practical skills needed to excel in global health.
Dr. Hongyang Xu hoststhe opening ceremony
Expert-Led Courses and Field-Based Learning Broaden Global Perspectives
Aleksandar Arnikov, Senior Programme Officer, Health Promotion and Assistance, International Organization for Migration, delivers a lecture
Dr. Daniel Argaw Dagne, Unit Head for Prevention, Treatment and Care, Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO, Geneva, delivers a lecture
David Traynor, Deputy Head of the Community, Rights and Gender Department, the Global Fund, delivers a lecture
Nina Schwalbe, Founder and CEO of Spark Street Advisors, participates in a group discussion
The faculty included Aleksandar Arnikov, Senior Programme Officer, Health Promotion and Assistance at the International Organization for Migration; Dr. Daniel Argaw Dagne, Unit Head for Prevention, Treatment and Care, Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO; David Traynor, Deputy Head of the Community, Rights and Gender Department at the Global Fund; and Nina Schwalbe, Founder and CEO of Spark Street Advisors. Their sessions addressed Addressing Determinants (Migration, Climate Change, etc.) in Disease Prevention and Response, Multiple Disease Prevention and Control of Multiple Diseases for Global and Local Responses, Global Health Stakeholders & Agenda-Setting, and Global Health Governance Architecture, respectively.
Professor Gauden Galea, Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, Royal College of Physicians (UK), and Honorary Professor at the University of Malta, participates in a group discussion
Group activity during the mock exercise session
Professor Jinkou Zhao, Global Health Expert, responds to questions from participants
Group activity at the Global Health Summer School
Across four core modules - Global Health Concepts & Programs, Global Health Governance, Global Health Financing, and Global Health Practice - the summer school explores a wide range of topics, including global pandemic response, intergovernmental negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement, the elimination of neglected tropical diseases, health financing systems, AI and health, equitable access to health services, and the reconfiguration of power and governance in global health diplomacy. The program uses Task-Based Group Learning (TBGL) throughout, combining real-world global health cases with cutting-edge research. Immersive, problem-oriented discussions and highly participatory activities help participants develop multidisciplinary perspectives and a global outlook while strengthening their ability to analyze and solve real-world problems. A newly introduced mock negotiation exercise further builds practical skills in global health diplomacy through scenario-based training.
Beyond the classroom, the optional Global Health in the Field module is running alongside the core curriculum. On July 10, participants visited the Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, where experts presented case studies on schistosomiasis and tropical disease control in Africa. Laboratory tours gave participants a first-hand view of the technical approaches and operational systems used in tropical disease prevention and control.
Participants will also visit the Shanghai History Museum and the Dapuqiao Subdistrict Community Health Service Center. By exploring Shanghai's urban development and primary healthcare delivery, they will gain a closer understanding of Healthy Shanghai in action, further broaden their multidisciplinary and global perspectives, and strengthen their capacity to analyze and address complex practical challenges.
Since the inaugural Global Health Summer School in 2025, the program has brought together more than 100 young scholars from over 10 countries across four continents. Through a diverse, cross-cultural learning platform, it has built a bridge for international exchange and collaboration in global health that combines intellectual depth with a human touch. Throughthese two cohorts of Fudan's flagship international graduate summer school in the medical track, the Fudan Institute for Advanced Studies in Global Health and the Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity will continue to work with leading academic institutions and public health agencies worldwide to build consensus on global health governance. The two institutions will also contribute practical Chinese approaches and Fudan expertise to major global health priorities, including emergency responses to emerging infectious diseases, sustained epidemic prevention and control, and the advancement of universal health coverage.