2nd iPRI-University of Dundee Summer School successfully convened

Following the overwhelming success of the 2010 Summer School, health professionals from low- and middle-income countries joined faculty from the International Prevention Research Institute and the University of Dundee for the second Summer School in Epidemiology and Global Health, held over 27^th June – 15^th July, 2011. The three-week programme, taught on-campus in Dundee, provided an introductory course in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Global Health, with the aim of building a developed understanding in these areas and stimulating quality disease prevention research activities in resource-limited countries.

Internationally renowned experts presented lectures and guest seminars to the group and provided one-to-one advice and support in practical workshops throughout the course. The programme included, but was not limited to modules in disease registration; design and analysis of observational studies; causal inference; principles of screening; introduction to biostatistics; analysis of age, period and cohort effect; multivariate analysis; statistical power; contextualising global health; environment and health; improving health outcomes; and reconstruction and capacity building. Participants originated from Nigeria, China, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and India, with backgrounds in surgery, oncology, dentistry, nursing and public health. All participants were eligible for fellowships.

‘Epidemiology is the link between Medicine and Statistics; this link is particularly crucial in developing societies in order to understand and improve health systems’ – Markus Pasterk, Chief Operating Officer at iPRI.

Feedback from the 2011 participants:

“These three weeks have been extraordinary. I have gained so much and I can’t wait to practice all I have learnt and share my experience with my colleagues back at home.”

“The Summer School has offered a lot and I plan to improve on the data collection, analysis and evaluation in Nigeria, which is of key importance for economic, social and health care growth.”

“When I came to the Summer School I was hungry … but after attending the Summer School I only became hungrier! Now I have a hunger to apply this knowledge in my research, particularly the technical knowledge which I gained during this programme. I would also like to prepare proposals, using the key elements which I have learnt and are essential for any good research proposal.”

“You have planted a seed for future breakthroughs in Global Health and research. Watch this space!”