The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), on August 6, 2023, celebrated the commencement of the 8th cohort of its Master of Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD).
UGHE is a Partners In Health initiative based in Rwanda that seeks to change the way healthcare is delivered across the globe by training the next generation of healthcare workers to deliver equitable, quality care for all, with a focus on the most vulnerable.
The 2023 class is made up of 46 students from 13 countries across the globe.
Their families, staff, friends, and guests convened at the Kigali Convention Center to celebrate a year's worth of hard work, accomplishments, and milestones.
The graduates are from countries that include Burundi, Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Syria, Uganda, the United States of America (USA), and Zimbabwe.
The students graduated in the options One Health, Health Management, Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health.
They include 14 health management, 19 gender, sexual and reproductive, and 13 one health students all dedicated to advancing global health equity.
Dr. Joel M. Mubiligi, UGHE Ag-Vice Chancellor, urged the graduates to apply their skills in addressing problems that are affecting health.
"As the graduating Master of Science in Global Health Delivery class of 2023 prepares to embark on careers of impact in healthcare, we are proud and celebrate their achievement. They are now part of a global community of healthcare leaders committed to providing quality care for all.
The knowledge and skills they gained at UGHE will guide them to serve others with passion and humility and impact the wellbeing of populations for generations to come," Dr. Joel M. Mubiligi, UGHE Ag-Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Abebe Bekele, Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at UGHE, said that as emerging diseases continue to threaten the lives of the most vulnerable, the role of the graduates as future agents of global health transformation is more important than ever.
"The students have graduated with the resolute commitment and competence to provide an equitable voice for the historically unvoiced and underserved, as well as the educational tools necessary to fulfill this challenging, yet crucial role in the development and innovation of global health systems," Bekele said.
Dr.Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health, commended UGHE for increasing the number of health professionals in Rwanda.
"In the next four years, Rwanda targets to increase health professionals who graduate by fourfold, and universities like UGHE are playing a big role. Only 2,000 were graduating every year, and the number will increase to 8,000. We need to have four professionals per 1,000 people as global standards," he said.
Theodora Tess Khofi, a graduate of the health management option, said the gained knowledge is highly needed.
"We have to work in a way that puts people first and partnership. I am ready to work in a multisectoral way in education and health and other aspects related to health. I am looking forward to creating partnerships," she said.
Ruth Zihiga Uwase, a graduate of the one health option, added: "I have gained skills to help respond to global health issues. We have to work hard so that people have access to better service delivery in the health sector."
The MGHD is UGHE's key flagship program that focuses on turning healthcare experts into global health leaders.
The Master of Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD) students gained an interdisciplinary, biosocial approach to addressing transnational health issues beyond the patient's bedside.
Under the guidance of esteemed faculty members and renowned experts in the field, the graduates have gained valuable insights and practical experience through coursework, field placements, and real-world case studies.
They have engaged in collaborative projects with local communities, international organizations, and governmental bodies, demonstrating their commitment to making a tangible impact on global health outcomes.
Through the intensive research practicum, students gained hands-on experience in research design, implementation, management, analysis, and results dissemination. The different tracks offered our students a more in-depth look at core health challenges and targeted solutions.
The MGHD program is central to UGHE's mission and vision of reimagining healthcare delivery.
This innovative program has enabled our 182 alumni to work in various roles supporting ministries of health as advisors, managing NGO projects, and consulting for multilateral institutions such as the World Health Organization.
"We are proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and look forward to celebrating the impact our seventh cohort will have in the global health field. Our innovative approach to health education is renowned globally, with recognitions including the ASPIRE-to-Excellence Award in health professions education from the Association of Medical Education of Europe," said Dr. Joia Mukherjee, Chief Medical Officer at Partners In Health.
In 2023, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda was ranked 8th in the Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings by Times Higher Education.
This inaugural ranking included 117 universities from across sub-Saharan Africa, with a final ranking of 88 institution.
UGHE earned second place in the "Africa Impact" metric, which measured African research citations, African research co-authorship, policy, lawmaker outreach, and education. This ranking underscores UGHE's significant contributions to research on the African continent.
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The University of Global Health Equity, on December 8, 2022, topped the Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards in the Power of Partnerships' category.
The conference, which saw entries by applicants from 70 nations, is a global higher education platform through which outstanding pedagogical innovation is identified and rewarded.
The awards shed light on the excellence of innovative solutions enhancing learning outcomes and employability for a future billion learners.
On August 29, 2022, the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda was awarded the ASPIRE-to-Excellence Award in health professions education from the Association of Medical Education of Europe (AMEE).
UGHE's School of Medicine has been granted accreditation by the East African Council of Higher Education, the accrediting authority for medical education programs in the East African Community member countries.
Beyond providing students with the clinical expertise required to provide quality preventative and curative care through the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program, UGHE equips students with the leadership and managerial skills to steer healthcare systems toward equitable healthcare delivery.
