Global Health Diplomacy Course in Amsterdam

Navigating Health Challenges Across Borders

Global health challenges rarely stop at national borders. Pandemics, health inequalities, financing gaps, humanitarian emergencies, and emerging security threats require governments, international institutions, health organisations, and other stakeholders to coordinate interests and negotiate effective responses.

The Global Health Diplomacy course explores how diplomacy, international relations, and public health come together to shape global health decisions. Across five days, participants examine the global health system, governance and policy mechanisms, financing structures, health security, and the interests of the different actors involved.

With a strong practical focus on negotiation, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, the programme helps participants navigate competing priorities, build partnerships, and contribute more effectively to international health initiatives and policy discussions.

You'll learn how to:

• Explain the role of diplomacy in addressing international and cross-border health challenges.
• Understand the structure of the global health system and relationships between its major actors.
• Analyse how governments, international organisations, NGOs, the private sector, and philanthropic organisations influence global health.
• Examine global health governance frameworks and international policy-making mechanisms.
• Understand how global health initiatives are financed and how funding priorities influence policy.
• Identify major global health security threats and approaches for preparedness and response.
• Apply the One Health approach to interconnected human, animal, and environmental health risks.
• Draw practical lessons from major international health emergencies.
• Apply negotiation techniques within global health settings.
• Use advocacy and partnership-building approaches to advance health equity and resilient health systems.