Lugano Summer School

Many middle- and low-income countries are struggling to gradually achieve universal health coverage and to address unequal health outcomes. The investment into capacity building is one key element of strengthened health systems. For this reason, SDC for many years has financed a scholarship program for health professionals working in SDC health priority countries. Benefiting from the Lugano Summer School’s international and interdisciplinary mix of participants with different cultural and professional backgrounds which creates a unique environment for learning and exchange, SDC is – besides continuously supporting the scholarship program – taking up an active role towards the promotion of relevant global health topics in the courses and plenaries at offer and of exchange between all participants.

The goal of the project is to strengthen and sustain the capacity of health professionals in low, middle and high income countries to manage, develop and promote health services and health systems at conceptual, strategic, and operational level, and to contribute to the achievement of the global health goal of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development (SDG 3).

The beneficiaries of the project are the participants of the Lugano Summer School (health professionals and managers, senior executives and mid-level) of health service administrations, hospitals, and other health care delivery institutions, including public health services as well as non-governmental organizations.

• To enable health professionals involved in health sector reform processes towards universal health coverage to apply new knowledge, skills, and tools for technical and administrative management of health services and health systems.
• To promote awareness and knowledge for other relevant global health topics among health professionals working at bilateral and global level.
• To foster the exchange of knowledge, skills, experiences and practices among participants and between participants and teachers.

Risultati principali attesi:  

• Courses are reviewed, carefully planned, and implemented with high quality to match the needs of participants
• The course offer is adapted to newest developments in global public health
• Each year, 36 SDC-funded participants from low and middle income countries are successfully trained
  SDC is involved in the selection process of scholarship participants through SCO, so as in the teaching activity of the Lugano Summer School.
  Each year self-funding participants are attracted to the Lugano Summer School
• An online alumni platform to foster sharing knowledge, skills, experiences and practices between the former Lugano Summer School students is implemented
• Experts from SDC focal countries are included in Lugano Summer School faculty
  

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

Through the SDC scholarship program more than 610 health professionals from low and middle income countries have been enabled over the past years to encounter new expertise on health sector reform processes. They have learned to apply relevant tools, and have become familiar with the underlying methodologies. This enriched the process of change and increased the know-how of participating health professionals working in health services management at central and district level health systems.

Since 2015, SDC has contributed actively to the thematic content of the Lugano Summer School program, including through developing a course on “Multisectoral approaches in health: implications for policy and practice” which was jointly organized with partners.

Institute of Economics of the Università della Svizzera italiana (IdEP)

Swiss School of Public Health plus (SSPH+)

Several SDC partners are involved in courses and plenaries at the Lugano Summer School (e.g. WHO, UNAIDS, P4H, Global Fund, TdH). Through the scholarship program each year SDC (implementation) partners in all SDC health priority countries are supported.

Fase 8 01.05.2017 - 31.12.2021   (Completed)