Focused on Health Equity
At Rutgers Global Health Institute, working toward health equity is our primary purpose. That means addressing health inequities—and the social and environmental variables that shape them—wherever they exist.
In 2017, the year Rutgers Global Health Institute was created, we conducted a universitywide faculty survey that uncovered 653 global health projects in 114 countries. More than half of the projects reported in the survey involved New Jersey populations. The survey also demonstrated that at Rutgers, engagement in global health reaches beyond medicine and the health professions into the natural and social sciences, the humanities, business, and engineering.
Many faculty across Rutgers pursue research that impacts the health of vulnerable populations, and a variety of courses, concentrations, and fieldwork exposes students to issues affecting the health of communities. Rutgers Global Health Institute was initiated by Rutgers Health to promote health equity and coordinate global health efforts across the entire university.
A Collaborative Approach
Addressing global health problems requires an understanding of the many factors that affect health in a given community. That is why the people who form our institute include faculty, staff, and professional members from across the university, the Rutgers Health system, and partner organizations. This diversity of expertise fosters a broad, multidisciplinary approach to addressing global health challenges in areas where Rutgers has a high potential for impact.
Our Global Health Seed Grants reward interprofessional approaches and encourage broader participation in global health research, education, training, and service.
Our institute serves as a convener and catalyst for global health activity throughout the university, including efforts that emanate from the global health offices and global health-related centers that comprise the Rutgers Global Health Institute Collaborators Network.
To facilitate connections, our interactive project map displays global health project information submitted by Rutgers faculty from across the entire university.
Our annual reports and our news page convey the ongoing impact of our engagement with local and global communities, as well as the faculty contributions that reflect our vigilant pursuit of health equity for all.