CIVIS Launches the “Special Feature” Series, Highlighting the Alliance’s Actions in Addressing Global Health Challenges

In the first half of January 2025, the CIVIS – The Civic University Alliance of Europe launched the “Special Feature” series, bringing to the attention of the academic community the key actions undertaken by CIVIS Hub 3 (Health) in addressing global health challenges.

In a world increasingly shaped by complex societal challenges, higher education institutions are stepping up their efforts to play a decisive role in identifying and implementing effective solutions.

This first theme of the Special Feature series focuses on initiatives addressing global health issues and aims to highlight the experiences of members of the CIVIS community – academic staff, researchers, and students – who are directly involved in the activities of Hub 3.

Full details on the topics addressed in the first instalment of the Special Feature series are available on the CIVIS website.

Hub 3 Health: A Collaborative Community for Change

Hub 3 Health is more than a collaborative platform – it is a community where professors, students, researchers, and members of specialised organisations across Europe work together to find solutions to pressing challenges such as health inequalities, limited access to healthcare services, and the mental health crisis.

“We started by organising webinars and workshops, then expanded to summer schools, and we are now working on joint master’s programmes and co-supervised doctoral projects. We have also initiated a range of science communication activities aimed at the general public and at sparking children’s interest in science,” noted Assoc. Prof. Grațiela Grădișteanu, researcher and faculty member at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Bucharest.

Hub 3 Health places a strong emphasis on reducing health inequalities and promoting well-being within European communities. Through collaboration between universities and health professionals, the Hub provides students and researchers with opportunities to actively engage in hands-on projects addressing contemporary health issues.

Participants can take part in a wide range of activities, including webinars, summer schools, and BIPs (Blended Intensive Programmes), covering topics such as public health, health economics, nanotechnologies, and pedagogical innovation. From telemedicine to public health initiatives, Hub 3 encourages diverse forms of engagement involving students, researchers, and the wider community.

A European and Transdisciplinary Vision for Health Education

Prof. Francesco Panese, Co-Chair of CIVIS Hub 3 and faculty member at the University of Lausanne, emphasised that:

“The field of health requires European and transdisciplinary collaboration in order to design innovative educational programmes that enable students to become agents of change and respond to the complex challenges of this sector. The CIVIS Alliance offers this global perspective by encouraging the creation of joint academic programmes with European and African partners. This extended collaboration strengthens our capacity to promote and improve population health, taking into account environmental factors and local realities, while also creating new opportunities for students and for academic and administrative staff.”

Through Hub 3 Health, CIVIS aims to train a new generation of leaders capable of understanding the social impact of their work. Each project developed within the CIVIS Alliance reflects its commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, co-creation, and social engagement in responding to complex health-related challenges.

About CIVIS

CIVIS – The Civic University Alliance of Europe brings together 11 leading European universities: Aix-Marseille Université, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Bucharest, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Sapienza Università di Roma, Stockholm University, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, University of Glasgow, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, and the University of Lausanne.

CIVIS represents a community of over 470,000 students and 68,000 staff members, including more than 30,000 academic staff and researchers, united by a shared commitment to shaping the future of higher education and addressing today’s most pressing societal challenges.