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

- Duration4 weeks
- Weekly study3 hours
- Digital upgradeFree
COVID-19: Global Health Perspectives
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
When would you like to start?
Date to be announced
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.
- Established1853
- LocationMelbourne, Australia
- World rankingTop 40Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
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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:
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