Council to vote on new DGHI program for DKU

Jeffrey Vincent, Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics and Management and chair of the global priorities committee, speaks at the Academic Council meeting Thursday.
Jeffrey Vincent, Clarence F. Korstian Professor of Forest Economics and Management and chair of the global priorities committee, speaks at the Academic Council meeting Thursday.

Faculty will soon vote on a new Duke Global Health Institute program for Duke Kunshan University.

DGHI administrators proposed the Master of Science in Global Health degree program to Academic Council at its meeting Thursday. If it passes, the program will be the second degree program to be approved for DKU’s anticipated Fall 2013 opening. The council will vote on the proposal in May.

Academic Council will vote on the proposal at its May meeting. “It’s part of a larger strategy of the institute’s engagement in China,” said DGHI Director Dr. Michael Merson, who also serves as the interim vice president and vice provost for the Office of Global Strategy and Programs. “It is also closely tied to the institute’s mission to expose students to health problems and systems in China, the surrounding region and the ‘global North.’”

Last month, Academic Council passed a resolution that overturns a December 2009 decision to refrain from considering DKU graduate programs beyond the previously approved Fuqua School of Business Master of Management Studies degree. During DKU’s first five years, students in the MMS program will spend a semester at DKU, complete classes at Fuqua and receive a Duke University degree.

As far as undergraduate programs, DKU study abroad programs for undergraduates through DGHI are currently under discussion.

The Master of Science in Global Health curriculum, which reflects the Durham degree, includes five core courses and four elective courses, in addition to fieldwork and the completion of a thesis, said DGHI Deputy Director Randall Kramer. The proposed program, targeted at Chinese and other Asian students, is research-based and will offer a Duke degree. It will only accept 20 students initially, but the size will gradually increase to about 35 students by its third year, when the program will be reviewed.

Merson said the establishment of a global health degree in China is particularly relevant, and it will be a part of a planned global health research center at DKU. The program will provide students the opportunity to study familiar issues in a new context. China has experienced a recent surge in health problems similar to those of the United States, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity.

“[China’s] population of 1.3 billion is going through a rapid transition, now facing problems similar to our own, including a booming over-60 cohort in addition to emerging environmental problems,” he said.

Merson also noted that DGHI’s priorities at DKU will include researching increased socioeconomic disparities in health care, which is demonstrated by differing rates of infant mortality.

“This program will be a strong focal point for the institute to become more embedded and connected with China and other countries in the process,” Merson said.

He noted that if approved, the program will further the institute’s engagement in China, where DGHI currently has four collaborations with Chinese universities—including Fudan University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Wuhan University.

Emily Klein, senior associate dean at the Nicholas School of the Environment and director of undergraduate studies in earth and ocean sciences, noted the meticulous planning of the program but added that it should incorporate a career center to aid students.

In other business: The council also heard an update from Global Priorities Committee Chair Jeffrey Vincent, Clarence F. Korstian Professor of forest economics and management. GPC is responsible for monitoring the University’s global strategy, which includes reviewing and refining academic programs operating at the global level.

Vincent noted that developing a common understanding of Duke’s global activities is still a work in progress. But it is a critical goal because it will provide the context for evaluating programs as well as advice for strategic decisions affecting the whole University. He emphasized that the focus of the GPC is not limited to DKU but instead focuses on the University’s global strategy as a whole.

“Given that Duke already has many global activities and that student and faculty interests span the globe, our greatest challenge has been to make sure that the GPC is not viewed as a transliteration for DKU,” Vincent said.

He added that the committee will encounter several challenges next year—including how to take a small set of academic programs designed for DKU and create a comprehensive university. Vincent explained that the vice chancellor for DKU—a role that has yet to be filled—will be the key person in meeting this challenge.

Another challenge for the committee is incorporating students into discussions regarding the University’s global strategy, he said.

“After all, enriching the students’ experience is the main reason behind the faculty and administration investing in these programs and frankly it is important to hear their voice more,” Vincent said.

At the end of the meeting, the council went into a closed executive session to discuss honorary degrees to be offered in 2013.

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