Program

GHEE's Minor Global Health program is a course for 3rd year Bachelor students (Medicine, Clinical Technology, Erasmus University College, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management and from other disciplines and universities!).

The common thread in the minor is project-based learning. Small groups of students work on a real life Global Health topic related to one of our partner institutes. Students follow workshops, lectures and masterclasses and work on assignments related to the project topic. Supervision will be provided by a national and international project supervisor, ensuring you get the best of all perpectives

There are 2 ways to participate in our Minor Global Health. Either you choose the 10-weeks course, which gives you insight in and knowledge on all aspects of Global Health with final assignments in Rotterdam or you choose the 20-weeks course, which, after 8 weeks of preparation, sends you abroad for about 8 weeks to experience Health & Healthcare in a completely different setting and culture. The 20-weeks course is concluded in Rotterdam with 4 weeks to finalize your assignments and projects and present these at the yearly MGH Symposium.

The Minor Global Health started in 2010 as a rather small program: 33 students going to 3 countries (Malawi, Zambia and Suriname). Since then the program has grown to be one of the major Global Health exchange programs in the world, including 120 students each year going to 65 institutes in 20 different countries in 2025 (The Netherlands, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Suriname, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Oman, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Viet Nam).

Content

Step into the world of global health across new places and cultures—because real impact starts with real-world experience. In the Minor Global Health, students will experience health and healthcare in low and middle income countries, emerging economies and high income countries. Core themes includes determinants of health and disease at local, regional, national and international levels, the Global Burden of Disease, the impact of climate change on health, Sustainable and Planetary Health, the Right to Health, Universal Health Coverage etc. Comparing healthcare systems across nations and learning to deal with limited resources are central themes.

Next to Health & Healthcare at a tertiary level (urban, university medical center) you will be exposed to Health & Health Care in a rural setting (district hospital, related health centers and health posts, primary health care, community health, public health). All this in a very different culture and climate.

In the 2026 edition of our Minor Global Health 100 students can participate and you choose from 5 continents, 20 countries and 65 institutes:

Asia – Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Viet Nam
Africa – Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Middle East – Oman
South America – Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador and Suriname
Europe - The Netherlands

Learning Goals

After participating in the 10-week Minor Global Health, students will be able to:

Explain sustainable global & planetary health principles
Explain how determinants shape disease burden
Evaluate how system structure/financing affect equity, access & outcomes
Critically evaluate power dynamics, saviorism & equity in collaborations
Describe global health governance & explain effects of colonization, racism, globalization & neoliberalism
Cultivate global citizenship & social responsibility, advocating for equity & rights
Apply critical thinking to analyze health problems & interventions
Apply basic project-management & teamwork skills

After participating in the 20-week Minor Global Health, students will also be able to:

Create a vid/podcast linking local observations to global health concepts
Reflect on experiences for personal & professional development
Apply cross-cultural communication skills
Demonstrate cultural sensitivity & awareness of structural influences
Design a basic qualitative or quantitative research approach
Advocate for health equity & social justice by addressing structural determinants

Specific Characteristics

The Minor Global Health is open to 3rd year Bachelor students from various disciplines and universities, including Medicine, Clinical Technology, Erasmus University College (LS track) and the Erasmus School for Health Policy & Management with:

Demonstrable interest in Global Health.
Good command of the English Language.
Having passed ALL exams in Bachelor year 2 in the period 23 October – 18 December 2026.
Not having any other compulsory Education obligations in the period 23 October – 18 December 2026.
Writing an English motivation letter and resumé are part of the application procedure of this minor.

Organization

The program consists of several parts:

Preparation
- Kick-off Meeting Monday 18 May 2026
- Coursera's online course 'Essentials of Global Health' by Richard Skolnik
GHEE
- 8 weeks of Global Health Education in Rotterdam 31 August - 23 October 2026, including:
  - Essentials of Global Health
  - Various workshops (how to make a video documentary, cultural humility, health equity)
  - Preparation & Assignment sessions per group/country
  - Language & Culture courses
  - Project sessions
  - and of course our famous Global Health Masterclasses
- 8 weeks ABROAD to the country and institutes of your choice 26 October - 18 December 2026
  - to get immersed in Health, Public Health & Healthcare
    - in a completely different setting
    - in a completely different culture
    - in a completely different country
  - to work on your projects
- 4 weeks back in Rotterdam again 4 - 29 January 2027
  - to finalize your projects and assignments
  - debriefing sessions

Global Health symposium in Rotterdam (Erasmus MC) 26 - 29 January 2027
- - to present the outcomes of your projects
  - to present your video documentaries

Every week has its own theme, the most important diseases and aspects of the organization of healthcare in ‘low-, middle income and emerging economies’, urban as well as rural, will be discussed.

The following themes will be presented:

History & Principles of Global Health
Global Burden of Disease
Social Determinants of Health & Disease
Climate Change & Planetary Health
Health Systems, Health Finance & Univeral Health Coverage
Public Health & Prevention
Water & Sanitation
Decolonizing Global Health

Cultural Humility

Education materials

Compulsory literature:

Global Health 101; Richard Skolnik; Jones & Bartlett Publishers | 4th edition October 2019.
'Essentials of Global Health' on Coursera
Planetary Health; Andy Haines & Howard Frumkin; Cambridge University Press | 1st edition July 2021
De Derde Wereld op je CV. Judith van de Kamp; Nieuw Amsterdam | 1st edition March 2019.

And:

Lecture sheets.
Education materials used during lectures and workshops.
Online Education:
- Gapminder
- Global Health with Greg Martin
Reader with lectures and other materials from the host institutes abroad.

Advised literature:

Factfulness; Hans Rosling; Sceptre | 1st edition January 2018.
Millions Saved: New Cases of Proven Success in Global Health; Amanda Glassman & Miriam Temin; Center for Global Development | 1st edition May 2016.
Millions Saved: Case studies in Global Health; Ruth Levine; Jones & Bartlett Publishers | 1st edition April 2007.
Foreign to Familiar. Lanier, Sarah A.; McDougal Publishing | 1st edition November 2000.

Hours & Numbers

The Minor Global Health will have at least 20 contact hours per week.

Maximum number of students that can participate per minor (per site-country): 8

Minimum number of students that can participate per minor (per site-country): 4

Maximum total number of students that can participate: 100

Examination

Participation
Every week, students create a product that applies and integrates the week’s content and skills to their project country or theme.
Critical thinking portfolio
Students will weekly reflect on a question linked to that week's competence.
Essay
Students will write an essay (3000 words) about a global health topic to be disclosed at the beginning of the minor (the topic will change yearly).
Project
10-week minor: Students write a grant application in the style of an NWO-XS application
20-week minor: Before going abroad, students will give a presentation explaining their project plan and findings so far.
At the end of the minor, students will:
1. - present their project findings during the Minor Global Health Symposium (oral or poster)
  - write a research report with their results (written report, podcast, vidcast)

The final mark consists of the following items:

10% - Participation – individual mark
20% - Critical thinking portfolio – individual mark
30% - Essay – individual mark
40% - Project – group mark

For the final mark to be sufficient, ALL individual assignments need to be completed sufficient.

Feedback

Students will get direct feedback on their assignments. The assignment will be discussed individually with their supervisors. Feedback on the exam will be through an inspection session.

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