Lugano Summer School in Public Health

We hope you will join us for our 33rd year of mutual learning for change. The 2024 Edition will be held from 19 to 24 August!

‍At the SSPH+ Summer School in Public Health Policy, Economics, and Management in Lugano, practitioners, researchers, and graduate students come together from all over the world for a unique learning experience focused on public health impact.

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Summer School Programme

The focus on public health policy, economics, and management combined with the diversity of participants and facilitators has provided for a rich learning environment for over three decades so far.

Who is it for?

Professionals and managers of health administrations, hospitals, NGOs, and other health services and facilities, policy-makers, healthcare providers, and students.

What is it about?

We aim to reduce the gap between public health theory and practice. Based in Switzerland, facilitators, and participants from all over the world come together each year to exchange knowledge, experience, research and know-how, build networks and improve public health capacity and impact globally.

Where is it held?

This year our programme takes place both online and on-site in Lugano and a few hub locations around the world. See the course and plenary programme to learn more about options for participation in Lugano or online.

When does it take place?

For its 33rd edition, the summer school runs from 19 to 24 August 2024. Registration will open in early January.

Course and plenary sessions facilitated by experts from around the world

Meet the Faculty and the Steering Committee of the SSPH+ Lugano Summer School in Public Health Policy, Economics, and Management.

facilitators steering committee

Chair of the Steering Board

“Focused on mutual learning for change, we bring people together from across the globe.”

Prof. L. Suzanne Suggs

Vice President of SSPH+ and Professor of Social Marketing at USI

We've come a long way

We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish since our first programme launched back in 1991.

Explore Courses

600

Courses and lectures since inception

Countries last year

2K+

Former and current participants worldwide

Courses offered in the 33rd Edition

Courses are offered online and/or on-site.
Courses are accredited by FMH.

_{The 2024 programme is under development and more courses will be announced soon.}

21/8/2024

NCD prevention and control in a global health perspective: Public health and health systems strengthening approaches

Which are the “best buy” interventions to prevent NCDs? In this course you will learn public health strategies to prevent and control NCDs, and changes needed in the health care system, with a focus on middle-and low-income countries.

Kaspar Wyss

Pascal Bovet

21/8/2024

Community-based participatory methods in public health

In this course participants will learn how to engage individuals, hospitals, health service providers, social organisations, and government officials to develop partnerships and co-create positive change.

Nadina Luca

Amalia Pesantes

21/8/2024

Making sense of the evidence to inform programmes, policies, and practice

How can we review evidence to inform our work? In this course you will learn about the types of evidence reviews relevant for public health practice and research, including – among the others- systematic and scoping reviews

Gian Luca Di Tanna

Emilia Riggi

Joseph Alvin Ramos Santos

21/8/2024

Identifying and navigating ethical issues in public health

Public health policy, practice, and research entail numerous ethical challenges. How should one decide what the right thing to do is? This course will equip participants with the tools, skills, and know-how that are necessary to assess and deal with ethical challenges.

Marta Fadda

Caroline Brall

21/8/2024

Health in Emergencies: assessing and responding to health care needs in complex situations

In this course you will learn how to conduct rapid needs assessments to support goal setting and prioritize actions, develop key indicators of the health status of a population and utilise human-centered design and behavioral science in a multi-stakeholder environment, to plan, coordinate and design services that really matter to and work well for communities

Rowena Merritt

24/8/2024

Strategic Project Management

This course introduces participants to the basic principles, methods, and tools for project management in a realistic context, allowing them to improve their ability to manage complex projects.

Paulo Gonçalves

Mariya Andreeva

24/8/2024

Promoting healthy behaviors through multi-level approaches

In this course you will learn why promoting lifestyle behaviors through evidence-based, multi-level approaches is as important as ever and what it takes to design for success.

Yana Manyuk

24/8/2024

Knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange: Coming to the future, coming from the past

This course will illustrate different ways and methods for effective and efficient knowledge transfer and exchange in public health, using practical examples from around the world and from a variety of health challenges

Kaspar Staub

24/8/2024

Measuring health spending and results to improve health sector performance and meet strategic objectives and inform policy reforms

How much do we spend on health and what are we achieving? This course focuses on the challenges and opportunities of tracking expenditures and assessing efficiencies to meet strategic objectives and inform policy and health system reforms.

Laura Di Giorgio

24/8/2024

A practical introduction to the Meta-Analysis toolkit

In this course, participants will learn how to conduct meta-analysis and interpret the results of meta-analyses. Particular emphasis will be placed on meta-analytic methods to pool the quantitative evidence available

Gian Luca Di Tanna

Emilia Riggi

Joseph Alvin Ramos Santos

Robert Grant

24/8/2024

Applied digital health for health systems strengthening: Foundations in digital health and clinical decision support systems

In this highly interactive course designed for people in all types of settings, we will focus on developing a robust understanding of the implications, constraints and opportunities in the application of digital health in a health system

Martin Raab

Fenella Beynon

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Plenary lectures

Gain unique perspectives and insights on pressing public health challenges and potential solutions from experts working in practice, policy and academia in high-, middle- and low-income settings.

Hot topics discussed with experts

Learn about pressing subjects in today's public health ecosystem, gaining insights for practice, policy and research.

Live mutual exchange

All plenary sessions take place live, online and on-site and include an interactive Q&A session.

Open to the public

Everyone interested in participating is welcome to attend.

Check out our plenary lectures

Lugano Summer School in Public Health

Summer School Programme

Who is it for?

What is it about?

Where is it held?

When does it take place?

Course and plenary sessions facilitated by experts from around the world

“Focused on mutual learning for change, we bring people together from across the globe.”

We've come a long way

Courses offered in the 33rd Edition

NCD prevention and control in a global health perspective: Public health and health systems strengthening approaches

Community-based participatory methods in public health

Making sense of the evidence to inform programmes, policies, and practice

Identifying and navigating ethical issues in public health

Health in Emergencies: assessing and responding to health care needs in complex situations

Strategic Project Management

Promoting healthy behaviors through multi-level approaches

Knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange: Coming to the future, coming from the past

Measuring health spending and results to improve health sector performance and meet strategic objectives and inform policy reforms

A practical introduction to the Meta-Analysis toolkit

Applied digital health for health systems strengthening: Foundations in digital health and clinical decision support systems

Plenary lectures

Hot topics discussed with experts

Live mutual exchange

Open to the public

Check out all current updates on the SSPH+ Lugano Summer School 2024 Programme