Global Health Communication, but the right way
Global health communication, but done right: Winterschool at the European Campus
20.1.2023 | DIT Public Relations
For two years, everyone has been talking about the pandemic. But how do you communicate this or other health-related topics correctly? Students from all over the world explored this question at the Global Public Health Winterschool at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) from 10 to 17 January 2023.
About 30 students from all over the world travelled to Pfarrkirchen for the winter school, which was offered as part of the Global Public Health (GPH) degree programme, and the same number joined virtually during the week. The event was themed around communication, which is an integral part of the work of any health authority. Among other things, the focus was on intercultural communication and how to takes place through health campaigns, scientific communication and addressing political actors. But the topics of social media in health communication was also on the agenda. The organizer of the winter school and head of the GPH Master’s programme, Prof. Dr. Sabine Dittrich, had brought in renowned reinforcement. With Dr Charlotte Hammer from Camebridge University in England and Edgar Gonzales from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Switzerland, international experts contributed to a successful week.
In addition, the students visited the State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) in Oberschleißheim together with Prof. Dittrich. They learned more about the German reporting system for infectious diseases from local epidemiologists and microbiologists. As the motto of the winter school was communication of health-related topics, the experts from the LGL went into detail about local health issues and how these were communicated with the population and the professional audience.
Outside of the courses, the students had enough programme to get to know the area and the Lower Bavarian culture. During an excursion to Passau, a joint bowling evening and a Bavarian snack, the participants had a lively exchange, true to the motto of the winter school. One of the highlights was the dinner in the restaurant of the town hall, which was made possible by the generous financial support of the ECRI Förderverein, the district of Rottal-Inn and the town of Pfarrkirchen.
Bild (DIT / ECRI): Some students of the winter school during the visit of District Administrator Michael Fahmüller (left), 2nd Mayor of the City of Pfarrkirchen, Hans Hirl and Georg Riedl (both centre).