News

Dear students,

as you might know, there is the option to take a summer/winter school (10 days) as an elective for the master's program Environment, Climate Change and Health. Here we want to give you some student comments on previous ones, as it might be a good option to take one ;) .

Summer school experience of previous M.Sc. ECCH students

Attending the Planetary Health Summer School at Würzburg University was indeed a highly enriching experience. The program brought together individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, encompassing health, economics, business, law, and engineering. This diversity underscored the genuine interdisciplinary nature of the field of planetary health. Through group work discussion and presentations, we had the opportunity to gain insight into the various perspectives on the concept of planetary health. The discussions throughout the program emphasized the paramount importance of leveraging the collective expertise of multiple disciplines and fields in order to effect transformative change on a global scale. Perhaps most significantly, my participation in the summer school helped me identify my own role and how I can make a meaningful contribution to the advancement of planetary health, in alignment with my ongoing master's program. The course content was comprehensive, covering a wide array of topics ranging from the fundamental principles of planetary health to more specific areas such as biodiversity, psychology, literature, poetry, and social knowledge as well as we engaged in practical exercises related to climate change mitigation practices and fostering a deep connection with nature. Undoubtedly, the program was intensive and demanded substantial commitment, with a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. Nevertheless, it was a great experience that instilled in me a strong commitment to pursuing a career focused on planetary health. Moreover, the summer school provided me with invaluable connections with like-minded individuals who share a passion for contributing to positive global transformation. These networks really matter for collective actions and initiatives geared towards a more sustainable planet with brighter future. (Sultan Ahmad Zaeem) - link to webpage.

I took part in the Winter School One Health: Food Systems in the Anthropocene of the University of Bologna this year (2023). The Winter School was very interdisciplinary and covered aspects outside of the ECCH curriculum. Topics ranged from issues regarding antibiotic resistances and zoonotic diseases to agricultural practices and science communication. Thus its been a great addition to the ECCH Master's program. I would recommend this winter school especially to people who are rather new to the field of agricuture, nutrition and environmental impacts of food production. The selected speakers were well known experts which allowed great insights in their field of work. For cost reasons I joined the Winter School online. Thereby I could follow the lectures and students presentations and take part in the Q&A. For networking and more interaction with students and lecturers I would recommend joining Summer/ Winter schools on site. Overall I really enjoyed the Winter School and the great insights I got regarding the current status and challenges in the field of food systems. (Annika Seifert) - link to the programm