International and interdisciplinary programme reinforces NOVA University Lisbon’s commitment to innovation and global cooperation. The new programme, led by NOVA NSPH in association with Nova Medical School, IHMT NOVA and Aga Khan University, will begin in September 2026.
Lisbon, 19 February 2026 – NOVA University Lisbon is launching, for the first time in Portugal, an international Undergraduate Degree in Global Public Health, a pioneering programme designed to prepare a new generation of professionals capable of responding, in an innovative and collaborative manner, to public health challenges in a rapidly changing world.
Scheduled to begin in September 2026, this Undergraduate Degree in Global Public Health represents another milestone in NOVA’s and NOVA NSPH’s innovation strategy, reinforcing our commitment to an educational offer aligned with the major themes shaping the future: health, sustainability, digitalisation and global cooperation.
The programme is led by the National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH), in association with Nova Medical School (NMS), the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (IHMT NOVA) and Aga Khan University (AKU), and also involves other European and global academic and strategic partners.
“This undergraduate degree was created with the ambition of training a new generation of professionals capable of thinking and acting globally, grounded in scientific knowledge, innovation and social transformation. It is a decisive step in strengthening the role of Portugal and NOVA on the international public health map and in preparing responses that contribute to healthier, more equitable and resilient societies, as well as to the sustainability of health systems,” highlights Sónia Dias, Director of NOVA NSPH.
Academic Innovation and International Outlook
With a duration of six semesters (180 ECTS), the programme is accredited by A3ES and by the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (APHEA), ensuring international standards of quality and academic excellence.
The curriculum combines theoretical and practical training, including internships, projects, case studies and seminars that bring students closer to real-world public health challenges. The degree also promotes academic mobility, international cooperation networks and internship opportunities with leading partner institutions.
Course content covers health policies and systems, digital health and artificial intelligence, sustainability, communication, governance and epidemiology, fostering applied learning focused on solving complex global problems.
Careers and Professional Impact
The Undergraduate Degree in Global Public Health is aimed at those seeking to build a career with national and international impact, in public and private sectors, companies and start-ups, foundations and civil society organisations, universities and research centres, as well as international organisations and multilateral cooperation and development agencies.
The programme trains professionals capable of developing innovative, evidence-based solutions that promote health, equity and sustainability in both global and local contexts.
Graduates will be prepared to work in areas such as:
- Prevention and management of public health crises;
- Health planning and governance;
- Artificial intelligence and data analysis;
- Public policy and environmental sustainability;
- Health communication and promotion.
Further information is available at: https://www.ensp.unl.pt/en/curso/bachelors-in-global-public-health/
