With 40 places, the new course aims to train students for “emerging threats” in the health of both the population and the planet.
The two health schools of (U.Porto) will open in September, in the academic year 2026/27, a new degree in Public Health Sciences, which aims to train professionals capable of intervening in emerging threats, it was announced this Wednesday.
The new degree will begin with 40 vacancies and it is the responsibility of Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP) e do Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health (ISPUP).
In a statement sent to the Lusa agency, it is explained that the objective is to “train professionals capable of intervene in emerging threats that most affect the in Portugal and around the world”.
“This new course aims to reinforce Public Health action in national and international contexts”, describe the two medical schools at the U.Porto.
Currently considered an area of priority intervention at a global level, Public Health has challenges that arise on a planetary scale, such as, for example, epidemics, pandemics, migrations, equity and sustainability.
The target audience are young people concerned about the health of the population“curious about epidemiological research and oriented towards action on the ground, in close proximity to different communities”.
“[Esta licenciatura revela-se] essential to overcome these challenges and achieve more effective, effective, efficient and equitable health policies, aligned with European Public Health objectives. The creation of this degree was an old ambition of FMUP, which finally found fruition in this partnership with ICBAS”, says the director of FMUP, Altamiro da Costa Pereira, quoted in the text sent to Lusa.
The director of ICBAS, Henrique Cyrne, also adds that this new degree aims to “contribute to the consistent qualification of differentiated competence in this area, in the ability to identify and respond to current Public Health challenges, at the same time that it understands and minimizes the impact of human behavior on society and the planet as a whole, framing the ‘One Health’ concept [Uma Saúde um conceito sobre ‘saúde global’ que o ICBAS estuda e promove há alguns anos e que junta três componentes: saúde humana, ambiente e animais]”.
The two medical schools add that this new degree is the result of an old partnership between FMUP and ICBAS in research and postgraduate teaching in Public Health, there is a master’s degree with more than 25 years and a Doctoral Program with national and international academic impact.
Both believe that the training of these young people will benefit from the contribution of researchers from UP research units, namely ISPUP and RISE-Health.
“Young people who complete the course will be prepared to join organizations inside and outside the health sector, at different levels of intervention, in local governments, schools, health care institutions, research units, social assistance services and other public, private and third sector organizations, namely non-governmental organizations”, is described in the summary.
In addition to FMUP, ICBAS and ISPUP, the project has the collaboration of the General Directorate of Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE), National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), as well as the São João and Santo António Local Health Units, in Porto, municipalities and non-governmental organizations, which will host internships for the first students of this new coursein a professional environment.
