Objectives and Justification of the Project

Two main factors can be identified as focal points for the initial planning of the Global Health Project. The first one was the almost-complete lack of pre-graduate teaching of international/global health subjects in health-related subjects in Finland. The Finnish Society for International Health has organised a course focused on health and illness in low-income countries every two years since 1993, but the focus of this course has been on diseases and their care and prevention.

The second factor was the lack of entry-points into international positions and projects for Finnish doctors and medical students. The Global Health Project has offered this first experience to many Finnish students and young health professionals, thus opening many doors for their future careers.

In considering the lack of training and entry-points for international career, it became evident that these problems are even more true for many developing countries than in Finland. The international partners of the project were therefore chosen from among institutions that could host Finnish students, and would simultaneously benefit from being able to send their own delegates to participate in the course.

This concept of bringing together participants from different countries to discuss issues of international health has received praise, especially from the participants themselves.