These are challenging times for all. In the face of climate change, pandemics and the effects of globalisation and urbanisation, priorities for human health are shifting rapidly and new threats are emerging. This era presents new challenges for public health, on a global scale and with a greater demand than ever before for creativity, adaptability, academic rigour and, above all, collaboration. It will take a new kind of public health to meet these challenges – one built on the firm foundations of the scientific method but with new ways of thinking and new ways of working more closely together and more widely across communities and around the world. The future of public and global health has to be built on an ongoing commitment to improving the lives of everyone in society.
As a world leading public health university that leads innovative research, translates that research into improved health, and trains the next generation, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has a hugely valuable role to play in this fast-changing world.
"We believe our shared future depends on our shared health."
Our global community of staff, students and alumni are working together across borders to make a shared and vital contribution to addressing major health inequalities and challenges. They bring lived experience, research insights and wisdom from around the world, opening up perspectives and providing new ideas, inspiration, policy and practice. I am proud to be Director of an institution where everyone is working together in our central mission to improve health worldwide through high quality research and education.
Work will continue to ensure that our collaborations around the world are based on equity. While our network of partnerships and relationships was originally built to serve a colonial mission, the purpose, belief and values of our organisation and our people are very different today. It’s not easy to challenge established norms, but it’s our responsibility to break down barriers and challenge inequitable power structures and attitudes. We will keep listening and learning as we continue this journey.
This is a unique community dedicated to improving health worldwide. Today, we face forward together with our partners, our funders and communities around the world to create a more healthy, sustainable and equitable world for everyone, because we believe our shared future depends on our shared health. I promise we will bring our scientific rigour, our determination, our hope and compassion to bear, to make that happen.
I am delighted to welcome you.
Liam Smeeth
Director