From February 20 to 23, 2025, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Conference took place in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). This four-day event featured numerous sessions of discussion and reflection, bringing together over 1,300 attendees from 61 countries to share the latest research insights from around the world. It was a stimulating and enriching occasion, offering the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions on critical global health issues.
A major topic of concern during the conference was the rapid shift in U.S. government research funding and its impact on key global health programs and the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization. However, this did not prevent a wealth of discussions and debates on various pressing topics. Key themes included challenges in health equity and equitable partnerships, social determinants of health, the role of communities, global health education, the impact of climate change, the role of digital health innovations, etc.
Alice Baratelli, Research Fellow, member of MACH and an alumna of MGH, actively contributed to the discussions participating into a round table during the pre-conference on the role of reflection in international exchange experiences and how this contributes to the development of students and practitioners toward a more mature global health perspective. Her insightful essay on her internship experience in Pakistan during her MGH earned her the Faculty Category Award in the 2025 Reflection in Global Health Contest. The competition was co-sponsored by CUGH, Child Family Health International, the University of Pittsburgh Center for Global Health, Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division, and the Indiana University School of Medicine Center for Global Health Equity.
Furthermore, Alice Baratelli and Sante Leandro Baldi, Research Fellows, member of MACH and an alumnus of MGH, received an Honorable Mention in the 2025 Global Health Untold Stories Contest. This contest, organized by Global Health NOW (GHN) from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, aims to highlight important but underreported global health issues. CUGH and GHN share the mission of raising awareness of global health challenges and invite professionals to nominate critical yet overlooked topics.
These achievements highlight the significant contributions of our MACH members to global health discourse, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in education, research, and advocacy.