The Sociology of Diversity Unit of Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Wacker is co-organizer of the International Summer School "One Health and the role of water", which will take place at Pwani University in Kilifi/Kenya from March 14 to 19, 2022. The six-day event, jointly organized by Pwani University (PU), Taita Taveta University (TTU) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), will be attended by speakers and participants from Kenya, Germany and other countries. Ten candidates from TUM have successfully passed the assessment procedure and are now participating.
The Summer School, which is aimed at doctoral and master's students, will provide an overview of the topic "One Health and Water". Through an interdisciplinary and international approach to One Health, participants will be able to develop new ideas and innovative research perspectives.
"One Health means that health cannot be shared, it involves people, animals and the environment equally," explains Prof. Wacker. "We want to promote this highly significant topic of the future and stimulate networks with this event, which brings young scientists into intensive exchange across disciplines and national borders. It is central both in the redirection of undesirable developments and in the prevention of disease risks. At the same time, it is also a platform for our dynamically growing research links with countries in the Global South, particularly in Africa. This research addresses urgent issues, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Science has its part to play here, and we are there."
The overall goal is to combine efforts and expertise from Germany, Kenya and beyond to improve One Health research. Specifically, this means raising awareness of the interconnectedness of One Health and the need for inter- and transdisciplinary research, sparking and deepening the interest of future researchers in this topic, stimulating new research ideas and projects, and creating research networks between junior and senior researchers from different disciplines and countries.
The Summer School has three main objectives:
- To develop and evaluate research studies and new findings that will serve as a basis for PhD and Master's students' future projects.
- Strengthening and rebuilding networks between TUM, PU and other participating universities as well as between participants.
- Contribution to global North-South and South-South cooperation.
The intensive week also serves to promote understanding of a forward-looking field of research in the context of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (WASH). It is funded by the German VolkswagenStiftung and brings together participants from different African and European countries.
Through a case study, participants combine theoretical input and knowledge with the challenges of One Health in practice. The aim is to use a collaborative, multi-perspective and transdisciplinary approach to explore how health risks exist for people, animals and in the environment.
The event will explore four areas of research and development with an eye toward opportunities and risks: Potential and Importance of Water, Agriculture and One Health, Societal Factors, and Water Quality and its Impact on Human Health. The program includes field trips to relevant projects and local cultural sites.
The program of the International Summer School can be accessed online (note: the start times refer to the Kenyan time zone, Kenya is two hours ahead of Germany). In addition, interested persons can participate in the event online.
To the program of the International Summer School at Pwani University
To participate online in the International Summer School via Zoom
To the homepage of the Sociology of Diversity Unit
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Wacker
Sociology of Diversity Unit
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24460
e-mail: Elisabeth.Wacker(at)tum.de
Text: Romy Schwaiger
Photos: Pwani University/Astrid Eckert/TUM