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  • The Nossal Institute for Global Health

COVID-19: Global Health Perspectives

Analyse how differing capacities of health systems, governments and communities have shaped responses to and impacts of COVID-19.

5,738 enrolled on this course

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  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • Digital upgrade

    Free

Explore how countries can strengthen their health systems for future pandemics

The global response to COVID-19 has varied dramatically, but how prepared were different countries for this crisis, and what does pandemic preparedness require?

On this course, you’ll discover how a country’s response and resilience to COVID-19 is directly shaped by the disparity between global systems, including health, political, economic and environmental systems.

As you learn what pandemic preparedness requires, you’ll analyse key lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, and consider how these lessons can be applied to a country’s emergency planning and decision-making for the future.

What topics will you cover?

  • Impacts of both COVID-19 and varying country responses to COVID-19
  • Readiness for and responses to COVID-19
  • Resilience demonstrated in responses to the pandemic and the inequities driving uneven pandemic outcomes
  • Intersectionality of vulnerable systems and population-level inequities in relation to COVID-19 and responses to COVID-19
  • Pandemic prevention, preparedness, and health system strengthening for the future
  • The intersection of multiple systems in shaping the impacts and responses to COVID-19

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Assess the widely varied responses to and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in diverse country contexts, and analyse the significance of different health systems and political, economic and environmental factors in determining these differences.
  • Compare and contrast different country and community readiness for and resilience to COVID-19.
  • Evaluate how complex and intersecting inequalities have both shaped, and are being shaped by COVID-19 and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Understand key opportunities and strategies for the future in relation to inter-sectoral pandemic preparedness, and designing responses with a focus on health systems strengthening, equity and inclusion.

Who is the course for?

This course is primarily designed for health planners, policymakers and program managers looking to better understand how to manage the impacts of COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics.

The course considers COVID-19 across a variety of settings and will provide invaluable perspectives for teachers, students and researchers of global health, as well as those with applied careers in global health.

Its multi-disciplinary approach will be of particular interest to those working in health systems strengthening, global development, healthy equity, OneHealth, and health security.

Who will you learn with?

Barbara is Professor and Director of the Nossal Institute for Global Health, a health economist and health systems analyst with current research interests in health seeking behaviour and One Health.

Angus leads Nossal Institute for Global Health’s One Health Unit. A livestock vet & epidemiologist working in international ag development, he takes a ‘big picture’ view of One Health & sustainability

Tiara is a health system researcher at the Gadjah Mada University and a PhD candidate at the Nossal Institute for Global Health. Her research interest is on maternal and child health and health equity

Clare Strachan is a Principal Advisor at the Nossal Institute for Global Health. She has expertise in communicable disease control, health systems strengthening and epidemic preparedness and response.

Linda is Associate Professor at the Nossal Institute for Global Health. She is an expert on sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence.

Who developed the course?

The University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. We are Australia’s number one university and world leader in education, teaching and research excellence.

  • Established

    1853
  • Location

    Melbourne, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 40Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022

The Nossal Institute for Global Health

The University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health is a leader in health systems research and teaching.

What's included?

The University of Melbourne are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
  • Learning on FutureLearn

    Your learning, your rules

    • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
    • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
    • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

    Join a global classroom

    • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
    • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
    • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

    Map your progress

    • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
    • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
    • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

    Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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    Get a taste of this course

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