MSc in Governance in Leadership in European Public Health

Do health policies intrigue you, and are you fascinated by the EU? Are you interested in why European health guidelines work in one country but not another? Then Governance and Leadership European Public Health might just be the program for you. This unique program provides you with the background and skills to analyze public health systems throughout Europe. Upon graduation, you’ll be able to prepare, support and monitor high-level decision-making processes in European institutions, in government, and in public and private organizations. The program will equip you with all the training you need to pursue as a health policy maker, but careers in research will also be open to you.

Fast facts

• Unique in its Europe-focused approach to public health
• Option for an international internship
• International staff and students
• Possibility to develop leadership skills
• Double degree possibility with the University of Bremen (Germany) and the University of Health Sciences Kaunas (Lithuania)
• Part of the Joint Diploma Erasmus Mundus, Europubhealth master
• 1- year, full-time, taught in English
• Study load per week: 12 hours classes, 2-4 hours group work, 18-20 hours individual study
• Starts in September

Why this program?

The master’s program Governance and Leadership in European Public Health will train you to become a health professional with a well-defined outlook. After you have completed the program, you'll be able to conduct independent research and formulate effective and appropriate health policies by putting forward arguments and supporting data from a comparative, often cross-border point of view.

Unique focus on European policy domain The search for best practices is a key and unique part of Governance and Leadership in European Public Health in Maastricht: nowhere else in Europe will you find a program like this. The program provides you with the background and skills to analyze public health systems throughout Europe. You’ll also learn how to prepare, support and monitor high-level decision-making processes in European institutions, in government, and in public and private organizations.

Key topics The key topics in this program are:

• the situations, determinants, interventions and practices relevant to the health of populations, of particular groups within populations, and between European member states
• the diversity of practices and ways of organizing health and healthcare delivery systems both within and between European member states
• the demand of European institutions for modern, scientifically educated professionals with the analytical tools and innovative research instruments to help them formulate and implement effective health policies at the national, international, and supranational level
• organizational development for the delivery of effective and appropriate healthcare

Close interaction with international staff One of the key features of this program is its educational format. It’s self-directed and it requires you to be active participant. Close interaction with international students and staff will help you acquire skills needed to look across borders and learn from practices elsewhere. The staff is also well-connected to important international organizations in the field. These connections may also be valuable to you when you are looking for a job later on in your career.

Our differences are our greatest strength Maastricht University is focused the development of its International Classroom, a place where our differences become our strengths. From day 1, you’ll be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over Europe and the world. Your preconceptions and worldview will be enhanced by this interaction, bringing you closer to the program’s goal of teaching students not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. Roughly 60% of the students in this master’s program come from outside the Netherlands. Such diversity creates an international atmosphere that is strengthened by the international orientation of the program.

Get in touch with experts in the field The program includes guest lectures from international health policymakers, and a 10-week internship at a selected European health or research institute. This means you’ll have ample opportunity to get in touch with experts in the field. Upon graduation, you’ll be completely up-to-date with the latest developments.

The Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences started on 1 January 2007. The faculty was the result of a merger between the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine.

Medicine

The Faculty of Medicine was the first faculty to be established at Maastricht University. The University was officially established on the 9th of January 1976, although the first medical students began their studies in September 1974. The Faculty of Medicine was the second in the world that applied the Problem-Based Learning method. The other faculties of Maastricht University , i.e. Arts and Culture, Economics and Business Administration, General Sciences, Health Sciences, Law, and Psychology adopted educational systems and research organisations akin to that of the Faculty of Medicine.

The Faculty developed into a community with a staff of around 1200 (academics, administrative and support staff), and approximately 1950 medical students. Since 1992 staff and students are based at the complex of buildings of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, and the University Hospital (Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht) which opened in 1991.

Health Sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences offered a broad range of disciplines that made the faculty unique, not only in the Netherlands but also in Europe. The format allowed students to integrate their discipline and research work into all areas related to society, sickness and health. By way of research and specific (undergraduate and postgraduate) education, the Faculty of Health Sciences contributed to the quality improvement in healthcare.

At the moment the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences has some 2,500 students enrolled in its broad spectrum of educational programmes leading to a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree. Health Sciences examines the relationship between health, lifestyle, disease prevention, care and cure. The Health Sciences curriculum covers the entire field of health sciences: biological, behavioural and social health sciences. Three questions take centre stage throughout the course:

1) What is health? 2) Which factors influence health? 3) How can we influence these factors?

To ensure a good quality of health care not only doctors are needed, but nurses and paramedics are also important, too. But also the expertise of other professionals is essential: the health scientists.