Jean Monnet Chair in European Public Health awarded to Helmut Brand
Press release 6 July 2012
In the first time in the history of the Jean Monnet Programme a prestigious grant of Jean Monnet Chair has been granted in the area of public health. Professor Helmut Brand, head of the Department of International Healthat Maastricht University and President of the Association of the Schools of public health in European Region (ASPHER) has become a successful Jean Monnet Chair holder. The Jean Monnet Programme promotes education, research and reflection on European integration, and supports institutions working in these fields. The subsidy amounts to 45,000 euro.
The distinguished title awarded in the field of European Public Health brings health of European citizens to the focus of political, academic and research debates. Professor Brand comments that “…it reflects on the one hand how important the topic of "European Public Health" is for the European Commission and for the process of European Integration - especially in times of financial crises. On the other hand it shows that the work of my colleagues in the Department of International Health has a very strong visibility at Commission level and made a high impression on the reviewers judging on the applications.”
“Despite huge economical, social and political efforts to build and enlarge the European Union there are still serious health inequalities within or between Member States. Therefore the aim of the Jean Monnet Chair in European Public Health is to increase awareness and develop knowledge about European Integration and Health by designing and implementing an innovative educational itinerary for a Jean Monnet Chair in European Public Health.” says dr Katarzyna Czabanowska, the author of the application. The itinerary will address students, academics, health professionals and civil society at the local and European Member State and non-Member State level using modern interactive, individualized methods, internet and social media techniques.
It is a first J. Monnet Chair in European Public Health community thus stimulating Public Health related institutions to include the problems of integration and health in their curricula and encourage interdisciplinary dialogue about the impact of EU integration on health issues. The foreseen impact will be the inclusion of Health in All Disciplines and recognizing Jean Monnet activities as a means to transcend the institutional, social and educational borders, reaching where traditional educational collaboration and exchange does not always succeed. Through opening Jean Monnet Chair teaching to citizens Lifelong learning, education and training will really reach visibility at the European level.
The activities of the Jean Monnet Chair in European Public Health will have a great impact on the Public Health community in Europe on one hand through the ASPHER network which consists of 86 members and through important synergies with other Jean Monnet Projects at Maastricht University. Professor Brand has been invited to be a member of the Steering Committee of the UM Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at the School of Governance in 2011.
Note for the press:
For more information on the content of this press release, please contact Professor Helmut Brand on +31 43 388 2204 and at: Helmut.Brand@MaastrichtUniversity.nl. or dr Katarzyna Czabanowska at kasia.czabanowska@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
The UM Marketing & Communications Department can be contacted on +31 43 388 5222 or at pers@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
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