Global health (GNK)

Step into the world of global health across new places and cultures—because real impact starts with real-world experience. Better together!

The Minor Global Health program is a 20-week program for 3rd year Bachelor students:

• 31 August – 23 October 2026
  8 weeks of lectures, masterclasses, projects and workshops on Global Health and related topics.

• 26 October – 18 December 2026
  8 weeks visit in the country of choice. Students get hands-on experience to explore healthcare in a completely different setting and culture.

• 4 – 29 January 2027
  4 weeks dedicated to completing assignments and projects to be presented at the Minor Global Health Symposium.

Take a look at our Global Health video and learn more about this minor.

In the Minor Global Health, students will experience health and healthcare in low and middle income countries, emerging economies and high income countries. Core themes includes determinants of health and disease at local, regional, national and international levels, the Global Burden of Disease, the impact of climate change on health, Sustainable and Planetary Health, the Right to Health, Universal Health Coverage etc. Comparing healthcare systems across nations and learning to deal with limited resources are central themes.

In 2026 there are 20 countries that can be chosen on four continents:

• Europe (The Netherlands)
• Asia (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam)
• Middle East (Oman),
• Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe) and
• South Americas (Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Suriname).

Next to a 20-week Minor Global Health program, a 10-week option is also offered. The first 8 weeks of both programs are similar for all students. When the 20-week students go abroad in week 9, the 10-week students will spend 2 weeks completing their assignments and projects in Rotterdam.

After participating in the 10-week Minor Global Health, students will be able to:

1. Explain sustainable global & planetary health principles
2. Explain how determinants shape disease burden
3. Evaluate how system structure/financing affect equity, access & outcomes
4. Critically evaluate power dynamics, saviorism & equity in collaborations
5. Describe global health governance & explain effects of colonization, racism, globalization & neoliberalism
6. Cultivate global citizenship & social responsibility, advocating for equity & rights
7. Apply critical thinking to analyze health problems & interventions
8. Apply basic project-management & teamwork skills

After participating in the 20-week Minor Global Health, students will be able to:

1. Explain sustainable global & planetary health principles
2. Explain how determinants shape disease burden
3. Evaluate how system structure/financing affect equity, access & outcomes
4. Critically evaluate power dynamics, saviorism & equity in collaborations
5. Describe global health governance & explain effects of colonization, racism, globalization & neoliberalism
6. Cultivate global citizenship & social responsibility, advocating for equity & rights
7. Apply critical thinking to analyze health problems & interventions
8. Apply basic project-management & teamwork skills

Minor Abroad : week 9-16 (26 October – 18 December 2026 )

Application

STEP 1
Apply through EduXchange between 1-13 April 2026 23.59 hrs

STEP 2
Apply for the Minor Global Health 2026 via https://mgh2026.globalhealtheducation.nl/application
before 13 April 2026 23.59 hrs

NOTE 1 :
You will be notified about the result of your application ultimately Friday 24 April 2026 23.59 hrs

NOTE 2:
The first compulsory Kick-off meeting is Monday 18 May 2026 .

NOTE 3 :
Several vaccinations are compulsory .

NOTE 4:
Participating students can NOT have exam resits while being abroad in the period 26 October – 18 December 2026. Also online proctoring while being abroad is not possible.

NOTE 5 :
In addition, for Bachelor Medicine students: to be able to participate in the Minor Global Health, the following conditions apply:

• Students need to have successfully completed Bachelor year 1.

• Students need to have a good prospect to be allowed to continue to Bachelor year 3.

• Medical students can only participate if the student does not have a 'below level' grade for any of the block exams of Block 6, Block 7 and Block 8.

Teaching methods
The educational program includes:

• Lectures & Masterclasses
• Project work
• MOOC ‘Essentials of Global Health’ and other e-learning modules
• Workshops
• Language courses
• Preparation sessions
• Student presentations

Students will participate in the regular activities of the participating host institutes abroad including:

• Morning reports & grand rounds
• Outpatient activities: OPD, ART clinic, U5, antenatal, community health projects
• Journal clubs and research meetings
• Project work

ALL education during the Minor Global Health is compulsory.

Teaching materials Compulsory literature:

• Erasmus University Rotterdam on Coursera)
• Global Health 101 Richard Skolnik; Jones & Bartlett Publishers | 4th edition October 2019.
• Planetary Health Andy Haines & Howard Frumkin; Cambridge University Press | 1st edition 2021.
• De Derde Wereld op je CV Judith van de Kamp; Nieuw Amsterdam | 1st edition March 2019.
• Factfulness ; Hans Rosling; Spectre | 1st edition January 2018.

And:

• Lecture sheets
• Education materials used during lectures and workshops
• Reader with lectures and other materials from the host institutes abroad.

**Method of examination

1. Participation**
   Every week, students create a product that applies and integrates the week’s content and skills to their project country or theme.
   2. Critical thinking portfolio
   Students will weekly reflect on a question linked to that week's competence.
   3. Essay
   Students will write an essay (3000 words) about a global health topic to be disclosed at the beginning of the minor (the topic will change yearly).
   4. Project
   10-week minor:
   Students write a grant application in the style of an NWO-XS application
   20-week minor:
   Before going abroad, students will give a presentation explaining their project plan and findings so far.
   At the end of the minor, students will:

• present their project findings during the Minor Global Health Symposium (oral or poster)
• write a research report with their results (written report, podcast, vidcast)

Composition final grade

The final mark consists of the following items:

• 10% - Participation – individual mark

• 20% - Critical thinking portfolio – individual mark

• 30% - Essay – individual mark

• 40% - Project – group mark

For the final mark to be sufficient, ALL individual assignments need to be completed sufficient.