Category: Education

“From the first session, you feel like you made the right decision”: The importance of wellbeing in digital teaching

This blog was written by IGHI Teaching Fellow, Julien le Jeune d’Allegeershecque. It features reflections on wellbeing, belonging and flexibility in online learning from Julien and Dunya Al‑Hayali, a MSc Health Policy student. 

More and more students are opting for online postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes. It allows people from diverse cultural, linguistic and professional backgrounds to balance study with work and caring commitments. Although flexible and convenient, the online environment doesn’t have in-person contact and it can present unfamiliar institutional norms. This can affect students’ confidence, engagement and academic outcomes.

In a recent presentation for Imperial’s Students’ Voice initiative, chaired by Monica Tolocica from the Imperial Institute of Lifelong Learning, Dunya and I explored the challenges of online education.

Leadership, Learning and Digital Innovation: Meet the New Digital Health Leadership Programme Cohort

Earlier this month, more than 60 students from the latest cohort of the Digital Health Leadership Programme (DHLP) came together in York to mark the beginning of their learning journey.

Over two days, students had the opportunity to connect with their peers, meet the academic team, and gain an understanding of what to expect from the year ahead. The forum included sessions from experts on leadership styles and reflective learning, the CliftonStrengths assessment, and time working within newly formed peer support groups. A highlight of the event was an immersive induction game, where students worked in teams to solve a series of puzzles as part of a simulated crisis in the NHS referral system.

Rising Faster Than the Sea Levels: Building Youth Resilience in the Philippines

In the Philippines, where typhoons and extreme heat are intensifying, young people are not only witnessing the climate crisis, but they are also living it. The research project Rising Faster Than the Sea Levels is working to understand and support the mental health and wellbeing of Filipino youth as they navigate the climate crisis. 

  

 

The study is an example of co-developed research done with researchers including Dr John Aruta from De La Salle University, researchers at the Climate Cares Centre and codesigned by the Young Person Advisory Group (YPAG). Sophia Pahulayan, a recent graduate of Dr Aruta’s, is a project facilitator who helped to manage the project and cofacilitate the group discussions alongside young people, a vital linking point between the young cohort and the researchers.

Digital Health Leadership Programme Q&A with Jake Marshall

The Digital Health Leadership Programme is delivered by Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation, in collaboration with a wide network of partnerships including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.  Jake Marshall is a MSc student of the Digital Health Leadership Programme and completed the PG Diploma with Cohort 6 in 2023-24. He shares his experience of the programme and his career to date.

What’s your academic background? What did you study for your undergraduate degree or other degrees?

Jake Marshall (JM): I graduated with a BSc in Economics and Management from King’s College London (King’s Business School) in 2019, driven by an interest in analysing business challenges through the multidisciplinary lenses of analytics, leadership and technology.

Cybersecurity Bootcamp for digital leaders

In a rapidly evolving landscape, digital leaders in the NHS need the knowledge and practical skills to respond to new threats and opportunities for the healthcare sector, supporting them to lead their organisations with the latest developments in generative AI, Cybersecurity and other pressing issues.   

The Education team at IGHI has developed a new series of highly interactive, seminar-style residential bootcamps to support digital leaders, offering a carefully curated programme of expert panels, Imperial academic keynotes, real-life simulations and practical workshops to enable immediate implementation of their learning into their organisations.   

On 3 and 4 April, we hosted our first Cybersecurity Bootcamp in partnership with IBM.

Celebrating Women at IGHI: Driving Meaningful Change in Global Health

On International Women’s Day, we shine a spotlight on the incredible women at the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) who are shaping the future of healthcare worldwide. From pioneering research to innovative policy work, these leaders are tackling some of the most pressing global health challenges —making a real difference in in the UK and beyond.

In this blog, we celebrate their achievements and highlight how their expertise and dedication continue to inspire change. Read on to learn about some of these fantastic women at the IGHI and discover key examples of their work.

Professor Bryony Dean Franklin – Visiting Professor at IGHI

Professor Bryony Dean Franklin is visiting Professor in the Department of Surgery and Cancer at the Centre for Prevention and Management at Imperial College.

Harm Reduction in Nightlife

A recent study, published in the Harm Reduction Journal, explores the role of nightclubs and sex-on-premises venues in harm reduction for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) who use drugs.

These venues act as intermediaries between national drug policy and individual behaviour, bridging the gap between broad regulations and on-the-ground realities. Our findings suggest that night-time venues remain an under-utilised resource in harm reduction efforts, with the potential to play a greater role in promoting safer drug use practices.

The research, by Health Policy MSc student Stephen Naulls with MSc Dissertations lead Kenny Oniti and colleagues,  used a mixed-methods approach.

Wellbeing Walk for IGHI Postgraduate Students

On Saturday the 19 October IGHI Health Policy and Digital Health Leadership students and staff enjoyed a day out in Hyde Park and South Kensington, for the IGHI Education Wellbeing Walk.

A group of 18 staff, students, families and partners were treated to a fantastic walk and historical narrative by Teaching Fellow and SWIPE co-founder Joe Kerr. Joe was a fantastic narrator, engaging the group on the history of Imperial and other great institutions dedicated to art and science, that together established Abertopolis over 170 years ago. It was a fascinating, light-hearted time, including a 90 min talk in the park, and concluding with lunch at the nearby Queen’s Arms pub.

Health Policy MSc: Insights from a Second-Year Student

The Health Policy MSc at Imperial College London is led by the Institute of Global Health Innovation.  

Jazz Walker, a Year 2 Health Policy Master’s student and Biological Capabilities Policy Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency,  attended our recent in-person student workshop and shares her experience of the MSc programme. 

Why did you apply for the Health Policy MSc programme?  

Jazz: I applied for the programme mostly for career progression reasons. I’d gone through education—originally, I did an English degree—and then I got into health policy.  

One aspect that drew me to it is that, particularly in the policy world, you don’t often gain experience outside of your job’s specific focus.

Health Policy MSc Q&A with Mizan Musahid

The Health Policy MSc at Imperial College London is led by the Institute of Global Health Innovation. Mizan Musahid, a Health Policy Master’s student, shares his experience of the programme.

What’s your academic background? What did you study for your undergraduate degree?

Mizan Musahid (MM): I studied Law for my undergraduate degree, which developed my skills in critical thinking, structured analysis, and crafting arguments which are key skills for effective policy development. During my studies, I also took part in pro bono work, providing commercial and criminal legal advice to individuals who couldn’t afford costly legal fees. This experience deepened my commitment to ensuring access to justice for all, not just those who can afford it.