50th Anniversary Scientific Session in Poznan

ASPHER Scientific Session in Poznan, Poland

On November 24, as part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Health Sciences, an international pre-conference session titled “The preparation of healthcare professionals to operate in a context of increasing migration-related challenges” took place. The event was organized under the auspices of ASPHER (The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region) by the team of the Laboratory of International Health (at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences).

The meeting gathered researchers and public health practitioners from the United Kingdom, Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, and Poland. Among representatives of Polish medical universities were, among others:

• Prof. Magdalena Kozela (Deputy Director of the Institute of Public Health, Jagiellonian University – Collegium Medicum; IZP UJCM) and Dr. Tomasz Bochenek (IZP UJCM, ASPHER Board Member),
• Prof. Łukasz Balwicki (Medical University of Gdańsk, National Consultant in Public Health).

Special guests included:

• Prof. Henrique Barros (University of Porto), President of the ASPHER Board,
• Prof. John Middleton, President of The Global Network for Academic Public Health,
• Prof. Olga Andriichuk (Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University),
• Prof. Anatoli Hrynzovskyi (Bohomolets National Medical University),
• Robert Otok, Director of the ASPHER Office.

The session was opened by Dr. Ewelina Chawłowska, Head of the Department of Preventive Medicine, who welcomed participants gathered in Hall C of the University Congress and Teaching Center, as well as those joining online (mainly representatives of universities from Ukraine and Portugal).

Prof. Henrique Barros introduced the topic of migration in the context of public health, highlighting the competencies that graduates of public health programs and other medical professionals should possess. He also presented examples of ASPHER working groups implementing projects that support the development of science and teaching at the international level.

Dr. Tomasz Bochenek discussed the current migration situation in Europe, with particular emphasis on Poland. Prof. John Middleton provided a global perspective on training requirements for future public health professionals. Dr. Mateusz Cofta presented a Polish example of academic engagement – the elective course “Refugee and Migrant Health in Practice”, conducted since 2012 at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences. The course, which uses high-fidelity simulation methods, is unique in Poland, as confirmed by the strong interest expressed by academic communities during the session.

In the second part of the meeting, a discussion took place with active participation from all invited guests from Poland and abroad. The importance of scientific collaboration and the creation of joint initiatives to improve educational programs in public health was emphasized. The session highlighted the need for further academic development based on ASPHER networks.

The university’s commitment to international collaboration was reflected in the initiative to establish an ASPHER working group focused on refugee and migrant health, proposed by the Kraków-Poznań team (Dr. Tomasz Bochenek, Dr. Ewelina Chawłowska, and Dr. Mateusz Cofta). The first meeting of the group, held in October this year, brought together 20 academics from Tanzania, the USA, the UK, Italy, Ukraine, and Poland.