Open Conversation: Global Health – What’s Next?

This Open Conversation is inspired by this year’s Circle U. Summer School on Global Health. It addresses a pressing question: what is the future of global health in times of geopolitical shifts and financial uncertainty?

Over the last months, global health – long shaped by Western political dominance, governance, and funding since the 1980s – has entered a deep crisis. The United States, historically the largest contributor to global health funding mechanisms, is pulling back from central aid and intervention structures. The implications for sponsor-driven partnerships such as the Global Fund and GAVI remain unclear, casting uncertainty over national disease control programs worldwide.

This withdrawal is not only financial but also geopolitical. It intersects with the rise of China as a challenger to U.S. hegemony, and raises new questions about the roles of BRICS countries and the European Union in shaping the future of global health.

Format and speakers

At the heart of the conversation are the participants of the Circle U. Summer School, joined by two invited experts. The event will open with short statements by two students and our guest speakers, followed by an informed, interactive discussion.

Chair: Christoph Gradmann, University of Oslo, Department of Community Medicine and Global Health

Learning outcomes

By joining this conversation, participants will:

• Explore the entanglement of health challenges and geopolitics since the 1980s.
• Understand the role of different actors in today’s debates – national governments, philanthropists, and international institutions.
• Engage in an informed discussion on the current crisis, enriched with local and global examples.

Who can join?

The event is open to Master’s students, PhD candidates, and last-year Bachelor students. Everyone is welcome to register – no pre-selection process applies.

Hosts

• Université Paris Cité (main host)
• University of Oslo (co-host)