The PKU-DUKE Global Health Certificate Program was successfully held at Duke Kunshan University from June 1 to 12, 2015. A total of 30 health professionals, coming from various institutions such as Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese entry-exit inspection and quarantine system, China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, received certificates after completing two weeks’ training in Kunshan. The program was jointly launched by Peking University (PKU) and Duke University to further increase Chinese health workers’ understanding of global health and major global health issues. Having been held for seven consecutive years since 2009, the annual program came to Duke Kunshan University this year.
The Program offers core courses: Introduction to Global Health Issues and Metrics, Global Health Ethics, Global Health Systems and Global Health Promotion. It aims to train a group of global health leaders in China, who are equipped with a deep understanding of global health theories and issues as well as practical skills. The Program encourages creativity and new perspectives in solving global health problems. The two-week program was fully delivered in English, featuring expert and professor lectures, group discussions and student interactions.
The Program’s faculty members are from Duke University, Peking University (PKU) and World Health Organizations (WHO). They include Professor Tang Shenglan, Professor Jim Zhang and Professor Jeff Moe from Duke Global Health Institute, Professor Zhang Tuohong from the School of Public Health at PKU, Professor Cong Liya from the Health Science Center at PKU and WHO Officer Kwok-Cho Tang. They delivered lectures, participated in group discussions and guided students on their theses.
‘This program offers an enriching and intense curriculum with strong faculty support,’ says Xu Yuanyuan from National Center for Women and Children’s Health under Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. She was impressed by the state-of-the-art campus facilities, world-class faculty and real-time exchange with Duke University that brought her a new learning experience. ‘It’s very different from the traditional pedagogy in that every class includes both lectures and group discussions with presentations. Every topical case study is part of a systematic learning process. We learn through discussions and grow with the accumulation of our knowledge.’
At the closing ceremony, all 30 students were awarded ‘PKU-Duke Global Health Certificate’ jointly issued by Peking University and Duke University. On behalf of the whole class, Wu Jingbiao shared his ‘five pleasant surprises’ from his experience at DKU: high-quality education, excellent faculty, people-centered campus, innovation spirit and extensive networking opportunities.
DKU Vice Chancellor Chang Xiaolin expressed gratitude to all the faculty and staff for their hard work to facilitate the Program. He remarked that Duke and PKU showed great confidence in DKU by carrying out such a high-level program on DKU campus. He congratulated all the students and encouraged them to come back to visit DKU in future.
