Summer Institute on Sustainable Health Systems

Climate and environmental change pose an accelerating and complex threat to 21st-century health systems. There is an urgent need for transformative change to reduce our health systems’ contribution to global carbon emissions and to adapt to the health, health equity and health system impacts of climate change. Despite this need, few of the relevant research or health professional training programs equip students with the knowledge and skills required to lead, manage, analyze, inform, or deliver sustainable health systems.

The Summer Institute on Sustainable Health Systems was created to fill this gap and provide trainees with the opportunity to increase awareness of sustainable health systems and current action in Canada.

Through guided learning activities, meetings with local sustainability leaders and nation-wide panel discussions, the Summer Institute aims to develop trainee knowledge, leadership skills and capabilities, and build professional, interdisciplinary networks of trainees and professionals with shared interests.

Goals of the Summer Institute

• Equip graduate trainees in health-related programs in Canada with knowledge and skills required to lead, manage, analyze, inform, or deliver sustainable health systems.
• Fill the knowledge gap by increasing trainee awareness of sustainable health systems and current action in Canada.

Learning Objectives of the Summer Institute

• Gain familiarity with topics and concepts salient to sustainable health systems;
• Increase awareness of sustainable health systems and current research and action in Canada;
• Develop leadership and professional skills and capabilities for creating a sustainable learning health system; and
• Build a professional interdisciplinary and inter-professional network of researchers, practitioners, clinicians, leaders, and trainees interested in, or working in, the area of sustainable health systems.

Who will benefit from participating in the Summer Institute?

• Trainees who have familiarity, expertise and/or knowledge of the impacts of climate change and are interested in learning the implications for human health and health systems.
• Trainees who have familiarity, expertise and/or knowledge of health systems, governance, policies, and/or professional practices but do not have in depth knowledge of the implications of climate change for human health and health systems.
• Trainees who are knowledgeable about the implications of climate change for human health and health systems but are seeking further knowledge about how to make an impact in their field.
• Trainees who are knowledgeable about the implications of climate change for human health and health systems and would like to expand their professional network of individuals working in the area of sustainable health systems within their local community and nationally.

Summer Institute Format

• The Summer Institute will be held the week of June 10 – 13, 2024
• In-person hubs will be located at the following universities:

1. 1. Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland
   2. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
   3. Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec
   4. Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec
   5. McGill University, Montréal, Quebec
   6. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
   7. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
   8. University of Toronto- St. George Campus, Toronto, Ontario
   9. NOSM University, Sudbury, Ontario
   10. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
   11. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
   12. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
   13. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

• A virtual hub will be offered for those prefer to attend virtually.
• French is the language of instruction at Université Laval and Université de Montréal. English is the language of instruction at all the other hubs, including the virtual hub.

Cost of Attendance

There is no cost for selected trainees to attend the Summer Institute. Trainees attending in-person hubs will receive lunch each day. Trainees will, however, be responsible for any transportation costs incurred to travel to the selected hub, as well as any accommodation costs incurred during the Summer Institute.

Certificate of Completion

Trainees who participate in all 4 days of the Summer Institute will receive a certificate of completion from CASCADES.

Hub-specific opportunities for course credit

• The Edmonton hub is offering an online course, Hot Topics in Climate Change and Health, which consists of online asynchronous modules completed in the weeks leading up to the Summer Institute and in-person participation in the Edmonton hub. This University of Alberta course is issued through the School of Public Health.
• The Toronto hub is offering an intensive for-credit Reading Course on Sustainable Health Systems that includes participation in the Summer Institute. This course will be delivered in person in Toronto over 7 sessions (June 10-13, 19, 26, & July 3). Please note: This University of Toronto course credit is issued through the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME). Trainees outside of IHPME are welcome to enroll and should follow their home program’s policies for external courses. Contact Gillian Parker, [email protected] for more information. Students can participate in the Toronto Hub of the Summer Institute independent of the Reading Course.