ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½

Professionals : CHF 1,100
External students (*) : CHF 900
UNIGE students (*) (max. 5 students) : CHF 250

(*) Undergraduate, Master’s degree-seeking students only. The tuition fees for lifelong learning students and Ph.D. candidates are subject to employment status.

(*) A few stipends covering the fees, accomodations and meals will be available for students from Low and middle income countries (check list of countries ). To apply for a stipend, please apply before 15 April 2025.

Course Director:

Prof. Stéphanie Dagron

Stéphanie Dagron is professor of law at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½. Her research focuses on the role of international law to address global health issues and reinforce social justice. She is a faculty member of both the faculties of law and medicine and of the Global Studies Institute (GSI). She is adjunct director of the GSI and Director of the Master of science in global health. Stéphanie practices international law in her work as a consultant for WHO in the fields of tuberculosis, human rights, research ethics, and as a member of the Swiss National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics.

 

Scientific Committee

Prof. Gian Luca Burci

Gian Luca Burci has been an Adjunct Professor of international law at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva since 2012.  He is also Academic Adviser to the Global Health Centre of the Graduate. Before this appointment, he served in the Legal Office of the World Health Organization from 1998 to 2016 and was its Legal Counsel from 2005 to 2016. Prof. Burci holds a post graduate degree in law from the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Genova, Italy. He is the co-author of the leading English book on WHO, editor of the first research collection on global health law, co-editor of the first research handbook on global health law and author of numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of topics including the law of international organizations, UN peace and security functions, international immunities, as well as global health law.

Prof Lisa Forman

Lisa Forman is a Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Toronto and is cross-appointed as a Professor at the Faculty of Law. From 2014-2025, she held a Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Global Health Equity (Tier 2). Dr. Forman is an international human rights law scholar whose research explores how the right to health may contribute to advancing health equity, including in relation to access to medicines, trade-related intellectual property rights, universal health coverage, global health policy, pandemic responses, and COVID-19.Professor Forman qualified as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa, with a BA and LLB from the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of the Witwatersrand. Her graduate studies include a Master of Arts in Human Rights Studies from Columbia ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ and a Doctorate in Juridical Science from the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Toronto’s Faculty of Law.

Prof Benjamin Mason Meier

Benjamin Mason Meier is a Professor of Global Health Policy at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Senior Scholar at the O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law, and the Past Chair of the Global Health Law Consortium. Dr. Meier’s interdisciplinary research—at the intersection of global health, international law, and public policy—examines rights-based approaches to health. His recent global health governance volume, Human Rights in Global Health: Rights-Based Governance in a Globalizing World (OUP 2018), examines the influence of human rights across the health efforts of the United Nations. Drawing from this organizational analysis, Dr. Meier has co-edited foundational texts for the field, Foundations of Global Health & Human Rights (OUP 2020) and Global Health Law & Policy (OUP 2023). 

Dr. Pedro A. Villarreal

Pedro A. Villarreal is a research associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and a visiting Professor at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Salerno. He has a PhD in Law from the National Autonomous ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Mexico and was formerly a Senior Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. He was Chair of the Global Health Law Consortium for the year 2024. He is one of the general editors of the Journal of Global Health Law (Edward Elgar Publishing).

 

Invited Speakers

The Summer School will bring together distinguished scholars in global health law (mostly members of the Global Health Law Consortium, ) as well as practitioners and professionals from international institutions in Geneva.

The confirmed scholars and practioners are:

Dr. Andrés Constantin is a Scholar at the O’Neill Institute, a Visiting Professor of Law at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina), and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ (USA). He brings extensive expertise in global health law and human rights, with a strong track record of advising and collaborating with national governments, UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies and Special Procedures, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization on a wide range of complex health-related legal and policy issues.

Professor Roojin Habibi is an Assistant Professor at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law (Common Law Section), a Senior Visiting Fellow of the United Nations ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½’s International Institute for Global Health, and a Research Fellow of the Global Strategy Lab based at York ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ and the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Ottawa. Bridging the fields of international law, health law and human rights, her current research program examines normative interpretation and change in global health law. Her mixed methods and collaborative approach to research has led to the convening of several international conferences as well as publications across a range of venues, including in journals of public health and medicine, law and social science reviews, commissioned reports, foundational law textbooks, and public news and media outlets.

Professor Steven J Hoffman is Chief Strategy Officer at Wellcome Trust, where he is focused on day-to-day management of the organization, charting the organization’s future, and driving integration across the £1.6 billion that Wellcome invests annually in science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. He is also the Dahdaleh Distinguished Chair in Global Governance & Legal Epidemiology and a Professor of Global Health, Law, and Political Science at York ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½, founder of the Global Strategy Lab, and Co-Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Global Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance. Professor Hoffman is an international lawyer who regularly advises governments and international agencies on legal, policy and political matters. He previously served as Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Population & Public Health, as Assistant Deputy Minister for Data, Surveillance & Foresight at the Public Health Agency of Canada, and as lead of the United Nations Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery. He is an elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada

Priti Patnaik is the founder and publisher of  – a reader-funded, investigative global health journalistic initiative. She reports and tracks power and politics in global health. Her  born in April 2020, now reaches 6500 readers across 150 countries. It offers actionable information to decision-makers in global health who pay for original news, analysis and investigations. Patnaik has been an independent  journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting on global health, international trade, finance and illicit financial flows, from Geneva, New York City and New Delhi. She has also worked at a UN public health agency. She has a master’s degree in Development Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a master’s degree in Business and Economic Reporting from New York ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Genetics and Chemistry from Osmania ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½, India.

Charles (Chuck) Johnson has long experience as an activist, writer, and fundraiser. As IPPNW’s policy director, he coordinates the federation’s work educating world leaders and the public on the health consequences of nuclear weapons.  He is now also serving as the director of IPPNW's new Geneva-Liaison Office, working to mobilize health professionals internationally to advocate for nuclear war prevention and the abolition of nuclear weapons.

IPPNW is a non-partisan federation of national medical groups in 56 countries, representing tens of thousands of doctors, medical students, other health workers, and concerned citizens who share the common goal of creating a more peaceful and secure world freed from the threat of nuclear annihilation and armed violence. IPPNW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985

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Luka Vujaskovic, North Carolina School of Law, USA - 2023 Edition

I am from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and I currently attend the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of North Carolina School of Law. My interests are at the intersection of international law and health law; thus, this Summer School was an ideal way to learn more about global health law. More specifically, I wanted to come to this Summer School because I was drawn by the impressive scholars, rigorous academic schedule, opportunities to network, and the planned activities (which included a visit to the World Health Organization and a mock session of negotiations). The Summer School exceeded my expectations in all aspects – academically, professionally, and personally. Attending this Summer School was made possible through the generous scholarship from ThinkSwiss. Without this support I likely would not have been able to attend. For that reason, I am very appreciative of the opportunity and I know that I will stand to benefit from this experience in the years to come.

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Caitlin Williams, ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA - 2023 Edition

I am originally from South Orange, New Jersey, USA. I currently study at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Maternal and Child Health, studying sustainability of global health implementation projects. I wanted to come to the Summer School to gain a better understanding of the international legal regimes that structure the decision-space within which domestic health policymakers and program managers operate. I had a wonderful experience. I learned so much about global health law, and really enjoyed meeting and learning from the other participants in the School.The trip to the World Health Organization and getting to see Dr. Tedros was a particular highlight! Without ThinkSwiss, it would not have been possible for me to participate in the Summer School. I am so grateful to ThinkSwiss for providing me with this life-changing and career-defining opportunity.

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Julianne Piper, Canada - 2023 Edition

I am from Vancouver, B.C. and currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½. The Geneva Summer School in Global Health Law provided a really unique opportunity to deepen my knowledge in this critical field, as the new pandemic instrument and International Health Regulations (IHR) are being negotiated in real-time, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The course was incredible, situated at the Brocher Foundation on Lac Leman, bringing together an immensely diverse student cohort to learn from great thinkers and leaders in the field. I am very grateful to ThinkSwiss, since without this support, I would not have had the opportunity to engage in this incredible learning opportunity.

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Geeta Moni, India - 2023 Edition

I am an undergraduate law student in India. My interest in Global Health Law arose a few years ago and since then I have been fascinated by the works of professors Dagron, Burci, Foreman, and Villarreal. The Summer School in Global Health was all my inspirations rolled into one and the scholarship gave me the opportunity to experience this wonderful opportunity.

The Summer School in Global Health Law was an incredible learning experience for any budding global health lawyer. Academically, it broadened my horizons, gave me a solid theoretical foundation, and built my understanding of the interactions between health and international laws. Professionally, it was an important catalyst in my journey in global health law. I had great interactions with my peers and mentors and gained a better understanding of the field and my place in it. Most importantly, I had loads of fun! Our visit to the WHO was fascinating and our lunches by the lake were amazing! The city of Geneva and the Brocher Foundation are absolutely breathtaking, and I made some lifelong friends along the way!

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Nadia Mutisi, Zimbabwe - 2023 Edition

My name is Nadia Mutisi. I am a student from Zimbabwe. I was a recipient of the Canton of Geneva Scholarship. I am immensely grateful for this support as without it I would not have been able to attend the summer school on Global Health Law.

At the summer school, I learnt a lot about Global Health Law. My goal was to decide whether it is a field I want to delve into for my post graduate studies since I am in my final year of law school. The lecturers helped me to see Global Health Law in a deeper manner than before and I am more confident about selecting the field as a research area during my post graduate studies. I should also mention that health law is very new and emerging in Zimbabwe. It is not even a course that is a part of the students’ curriculums hence being supported to attend this summer school is groundbreaking in and of itself. I am immensely thankful.

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Adriana Montalvan, Harvard ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½, USA - 2023 Edition

As a medical graduate from Costa Rica currently working in the department of Transplant Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and pursuing a Master's in Public Health with a concentration in global health at Harvard ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½, I had the privilege of participating in the Geneva Global Health Law Summer Course. I cannot emphasize enough how truly amazing this experience was for me.

The selection committee and educational affairs team demonstrated exceptional skill in assembling a diverse cohort that represented the essence of interdisciplinary and international learning. Each lesson and exercise were meticulously planned by the faculty, who not only delivered outstanding lectures but also facilitated networking opportunities and follow-up projects for some of the students.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Foundation Brocher for their outstanding organization and collaboration, which further enriched the overall experience. The seamless coordination and support provided by them ensured that every aspect of the program ran smoothly, allowing us to focus on our learning and personal growth.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Geneva Global Health Summer Course. It has not only expanded my knowledge and understanding of global health law but has also connected me with a diverse network of passionate individuals. This scholarship has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in shaping my academic and professional journey, and I am confident that the skills and insights gained from this program will have a lasting impact on my future endeavors.

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Ana Ines Diaz Testimonial, practitioner, Argentina - 2023 Edition

I am Ana Inés from Mar del Plata, Argentina. The Global Health Law summer course was a life-changing experience: the renowned team of professors, the well-selected health issues, the possibility of meeting nice people from many countries, the WHO field visit, the location at Fondation Brocher, I mean everything was perfect. Thank you very much for the admission and scholarship. My career as a lawyer in the field of Health Law has been upgraded with this training.

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Maria Birungi Kakinda, from Uganda - 2023 Edition

The Global Health Law under the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½’s summer school programme was a dream come true for me.  I interacted with leading scholars in Global Health Law by inquiring about their scholarship: we developed a mantra during class; ‘no question is stupid’. This helped me to be less self-conscious and truly embody a learners’ mindset. The course helped me also understand that International Health law is an embodiment of various international legal regimes, through the detailed lectures on the various regimes delivered over the course of the week. A highlight during the week was the visit to the World Health Organization offices, the talks given by the officials, and the selfies and group picture with the WHO Director-General! I also met fellow Global Health Law enthusiasts from across the world, and it was great to learn about their interests in the field. Would I recommend this experience to anyone? In the blink of an eye.

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Elizabeth Loftus, ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Toronto - 2023 Edition

My name’s Elizabeth, and I’m from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. I am entering my second year in the Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences (Health Promotion) program at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, at the ÓñÃÀÈË´«Ã½ of Toronto. I had an amazing experience in the Global Health Law summer course, and think it would be an asset to anyone interested in the subject matter!

The course content was both challenging and rewarding to learn – we received solid foundational instruction on global health law, health and human rights, global health security, health systems strengthening, as well as climate change and environmental law from a global health law lens. The instruction quality in the course was very high – the instructors had impressive academic and professional backgrounds, and brought a rich wealth of knowledge to the course and students. Our learning was further enhanced by our visit to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Headquarters, where we learned about the revision of the International Health Regulations, and the negotiation of a new pandemic treaty. Further, the makeup of the course was diverse, with over 40 students from over 20 countries, and a wide array of backgrounds ranging from law, to international affairs and political science, to public health and medicine. I think the diverse backgrounds of the students greatly added to my learning experience in the course! Additionally, the venue at which the event was hosted was beautiful – the Brocher Foundation’s facilities are quaint and comfortable, and it is located steps from Lake Geneva. The environment made it feel equal parts like a retreat, as well as an intensive course. Another remarkable aspect of the course was the funding that was available to students. The course director and coordinators went above and beyond in making sure that the course was as accessible as possible.

I think I am walking away from this course with an improved understanding of the field of Global Health Law, and believe that it will make me a more critical and well-rounded public health practitioner and researcher in the future! Many thanks to the instructors and course coordinators, and all the best to future students in this course!