Project Support Fund
Global Health Fund
Leading education and research on global health, creating a unit where researchers from developing countries work with a focus on developing countries
Developing countries in the 21st century face risks of breakdown in their already fragile healthcare systems, arising from the double burden of infectious disease and chronic illness. There is an urgent need for highly effective and scientific policies, preventative programs, and medical research that is grounded in the social, economic, and cultural conditions of developing countries.
Previously, there were no research centers in Japan dedicated to global health issues. In October 2014, however, we established the Global Health Interdisciplinary Unit (GHIU), an agglomeration of divisions in Kyoto University pursuing international field research across both the humanities/social sciences and the natural sciences.
Ideals and Conceptual Layout of the Global Health Interdisciplinary Unit
The GHIU’s mission is to integrate Kyoto University’s world-renowned traditions of field research with the vanguard of research innovation in order to drive global health “knowledge” and “activity” forward. Since its establishment, the GHIU has pursued senior high school-university collaborative education, published a textbook on global health (in 2017), delivered classes, held lecture and seminar events, conducted externally-funded research, and pursued industry-university partnership activities.
Left: One example of senior high school-university collaboration. Former Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Dr. Peter Piot is pictured with Takatsuki Senior High School students at the GHIU Opening Ceremony. Right: Senior high school, university, and graduate school students helped translate a textbook published in September 2017.
Moreover, the GHIU aims to create an environment where researchers from developing countries can play the leading roles in research. Utilizing the Global Health Center Fund, the GHIU will strive to secure GHIU’s position as a “center” of education and research in the field of global health, while also mobilizing Kyoto University’s various research bases in Asia and Africa, which are among the most numerous of any university in Japan. We look forward to your generous support.
Fund applications
Category
Content
Recruitment
Employing faculty from developing countries, and fostering the skills and knowledge required to serve as core staff in international hubs for education and research on global health
Research activities
Cutting-edge interdisciplinary research activities and conferences to help solve health problems in developing countries
Educational activities
Implementation of global health training courses for university students, researchers, and working adults
Fostering the next generation
Dispatch of non-Japanese faculty members and international students to junior and senior high schools to cultivate human resources for the future of global health
For more information, please visit
Kyoto University Global Health Interdisciplinary Unit website