Applicant profile

The PhD program is aimed at working professionals residing in Switzerland or abroad with the potential of becoming global health leaders, academics and researchers.

PhD candidates for this program come from various health professional levels such as directors, mid-career managers and leaders in governmental/non-governmental health agencies, program officers, and other mid-level or senior managers working for foundations. The program also aims to include other public health professionals such as entrepreneurs and individuals working in non-traditional settings.

Since its inception in the Spring Semester of 2015, the program has successfully enrolled ten cohorts of students. Approximately 40 students have already defended their theses on a wide range of critical topics such as mental health, digital health, medical humanitarian action, international health regulation, one health, health geography, epidemiology, and healthcare-associated infections. The program has currently more than 60 dedicated students who are actively engaged in their PhD training.

Many of these students are professionals working in esteemed international health organizations and non-governmental organizations, including WHO, UNAIDS, USAIDS, UNOPS, Global Fund, GAVI, ICRC, UNICEF, and MSF. Nearly half of the students are based outside of Europe, illustrating the program's global reach and diverse international representation.