Different countries choose different approaches to the provision of healthcare. Through this course, gain insight into how healthcare is organized and financed in Denmark and Northern Europe, and investigate the impact of the social, economic, and political history on the present systems. Analyze principles of priority-setting in healthcare, and discuss and assess possible solutions to challenges such as aging populations, inequality in health and rising healthcare expenditures.
You only take one Core Course per semester, and each Core Course includes two Study Tours: one Short Study Tour to a nearby destination for three days, and one Long Study Tour to another European country for six days.
Led by your faculty, Study Tours take you into real-world settings where you will apply what you’ve learned outside the classroom.
M.Sc. and B.Sc. Public Health (University of Copenhagen, 2011/2007). Consultant in the Planning Department (Quality and Development, Region Sjælland, 2011-2014). Board member of the Danish Association for Public Health Science (2015-2019). With DIS since 2014.
Tine Poulsen
PhD, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (University of Copenhagen, 2013); M.Sc. and B.Sc Public Health (University of Copenhagen 2004/2002). Project manager (Roskilde Hospital, Region Sjælland 2013-15), Consultant (Municipality of Gladsaxe, 2002-2007). With DIS since 2016.
Augusta Mariia Søndergaard
M.Sc. Public Health (University of Southern Denmark, 2016), B.A. in Nursing (University College Absalon, 2013), Research Assistant (Odense University Hospital, February-May 2017), ER Nurse (Emergency Department, Herlev Hospital, 2013-2015), ICU Nurse (Neonatal ward, Rigshospitalet, 2016-2017), Research and project manager (WoMena, 2016-2018), Self-employed in women’s health (2019-present). With DIS since 2018.
Priyanka Ranganath
PhD. from Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Aarhus University, 2022. Masters in Comparative Social Change, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, 2018. Masters in International Business, Monash University, Melbourne, 2008. Development and Research Associate at G.L.OB.A.L. Justice, Colorado in 2019. Marketing Coordinator, Yooralla, Melbourne, 2016-2017. Marketing and Communications Coordinator at OzChild Children Australia Inc., Melbourne, 2012-2014. Marketing Coordinator at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, 2010-2012. With DIS since, 2022.
Lone Bilde
“M.Sc. (Economics and Languages) 1993, B.Sc. (Economics and Languages), 1988, Bi-lingual corrrespondant (French), Copenhagen Business School, Completed 8 of10 modules of BA in Leadership, 2012, Copenhagen Business College. Postgraduate education in health economics, epidemiology, measurement of health-related quality of life, and (bio) statistics.Lone is an experienced consultant, advisor and leader of health care research projects. Her area of expertise is health economics, epidemiology, financing, organization, and the management of the health sector, including health economics evaluation. She has carried out several research projects for – and together with – multiple stakeholders in Denmark as well as internationally. She has held senior positions at the Danish Institute for Health Services Research (DSI), the Danish Institute for Local and Regional Government Research (KORA), the Danish Institute for Applied Social Research (VIVE), Novo Nordisk, Nycomed, and the Danish Cancer Society. “
Long Study Tour
About this tour
This Study Tour to Portugal provides you the chance to compare and contrast the healthcare systems in Denmark and Portugal. We will discuss the connection between social determinants of health and healthcare policies, providing a comprehensive view of Portugal’s approach to public health and wellbeing.
Portugal’s healthcare system, the Serviço Nacional de Saúde (SNS), provides universal healthcare to residents, but it currently suffers challenges such as economic constraints, an aging population, and continuing social disparities. You will gain insight into the administrative and practical aspects of Portuguese healthcare delivery by engaging with relevant stakeholders and institutions. We will investigate how healthcare is prioritized, which services are provided, and how they are distributed across different populations. This will support your understanding of how classroom theories translate into a real-life context, and help you better understand the challenges and opportunities the health system faces.
To further contextualize your studies and understanding of Portuguese culture, we will explore historic neighborhoods, taste traditional Portuguese cuisine, experience a fado music performance, and visit cultural landmarks.
Learning outcomes
Compare the structure, role and function of different health institutions in the Portuguese healthcare system
Observe the challenges Portugal faces in relation to healthcare delivery due to rising costs, increase in aging populations, and inequality in health
Engage in your personal learning process outside the classroom by actively participating and challenging your current ideas and assumptions
Possible activities
Visit primary care facilities and meeting with a general practitioner
Visit to a community health service facility working with health promotion
Visit to an administrative unit in the National Health Service
About this tour
This week-long Study Tour to Tallinn and Helsinki introduces you to the nuances of the public healthcare systems in northern Europe and further enables you to compare two systems that have developed from quite different times in history. The Estonian healthcare system emerged from the rise and fall of communism, and is relatively new and reformed, while the Finnish healthcare system presents an example of an older well-structured welfare state system with one of the highest rates of patient satisfaction in the European Union.
By visiting policy-making institutions and meeting with general practitioners and NGOs that focus on community health, you will observe and better understand the challenges health providers, institutions, and the overall health system face. The study tour enables you to derive comparative insights from the analysis of different national healthcare systems.
To further contextualize your studies and understanding of Estonian and Finnish culture, you taste traditional foods, try a Finnish smoke sauna, and visit cultural landmarks.
Learning outcomes
Compare and contrast the role and function of different health institutions and how they relate to the setup and structure of a healthcare system
Observe the challenges northern European countries face in relation to healthcare due to rising costs, aging populations, and unequal access to care
Understand the challenges a transitioning post-communist country faces, with a specific focus on healthcare related issues
Possible activities
Visit primary care facilities in Tallinn and Helsinki
Visit the Estonian Health Insurance Fund
Go to the Finnish Cancer Registry to learn about cancer screening programs in Finland
About this tour
The town of Rovaniemi (the capital of Lapland) has an Arctic climate and the reindeer outnumber the number of people living in the region. Helsinki on the other hand is the most southern and densely populated, urban area of Finland. With a coastline of 19,000 miles and a distance of about 510 miles from Rovaniemi in the north to Helsinki in the south, Finland is a geographically diverse country. How can universal health care be achieved here?
During our long Study Tour to Finland, you will study and observe first-hand the public health challenges and opportunities of providing health care in a remote region of the Arctic and compare and contrast it to the urban setting of Helsinki. You will learn from an administrative and practical point of view how health professionals and administrators work in these different settings. We will investigate how healthcare is prioritized, which services are provided, and where these services are located physically
To further contextualize your studies and understanding of Finnish culture, we will go out into the beautiful and healing Finish nature, taste traditional foods, try a Finnish smoke sauna, and visit cultural landmarks.
Learning outcomes
Compare and contrast the role and function of different health institutions and how they relate to the setup and structure of a healthcare system
Observe the challenges Finland faces in relation to healthcare due to rising costs, aging populations, and unequal access to care due to geographical and social factors
Connect theories and concepts presented in the classroom real life examples
Possible activities
Tour the helicopter emergency medical service base (FinnHems) in Rovaniemi
Speak with professionals working in health care administration to gain insight into planning delivery of services and covering a large geographical area with scarce resources
Visit public research institutions and speak with local researchers to understand the scientific foundation for public policy decisions
Short Study Tour
About this tour
Core Course Week, including short Study Tour, familiarizes you with the healthcare system in Denmark, with a focus on health care administration and the role of the general practitioner. On this tour, you investigate first-hand the administrative side of public health and experience how different stakeholders operate and shape the Danish healthcare system.
In addition, the Study Tour is supplemented with social and cultural visits to relevant and exciting sites. Past visits have included a walking tour of Hans Christian Andersen’s hometown, visiting castles, and a ropes course.
Learning outcomes
Observe the challenges Denmark faces in relation to healthcare due to rising costs, aging populations, and inequality in health
Relate the performance and set-up of a health provider to the structure of the healthcare system
Understand the role and function of primary care and general practice in the Danish healthcare system
Possible activities
Meeting a lead administrator at the regional level to gain insight into the regional planning system
Meeting with a general practitioner and touring their clinic
Visiting a municipality’s health center or a hospital department
