Nowadays, when already more than 600 000 irregular migrants have entered the European Union (EU) this year, Migration & Health has been made a priority topicduring the program ofthe Portuguese Presidency, concluding the conference on “Health and migration in the European Union – Better health for all in an inclusive society” (2007). This conference was followedby numerous high level statements. Hereby we mention only the

• Resolution of the World Health Assembly (2008) entitled “Health of migrants”, calling for the creation of Migrant Sensitive Health Systems in order to fill in gaps in the health service delivery and train the health workforce on migrant health issues, and
• Council of Europe’s Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on mobility, migration and access to health care (2011 November) highlighting among others that:

“having regard to the organization, general principles and financial capacities of the social security system of the member state concerned, provide migrants with adequate entitlements to use health services and ensure that these entitlements are known and respected.”

No question about that health sector is in a key position for the smooth and successful integration of the migrants, and the rapidly increasing need for specially trained professionals capable of coping with this complex, multidisciplinary task – where health, human rights and intercultural aspects are equally represented – is more and more recognised, at present there is a significant shortage in formal higher education programmes, aiming to build the human resource capacity that is motivated and properly empowered with knowledge and skills to address this rapidly growing need.

Migrant Health: Addressing New Challenges in Europe (MSc)

Persons working in health professions are confronted in their daily work with the health specific, human rights and intercultural dimensions and challenges accompanying a development towards a pluralist society, a consequence of inter-European and inter-continental migration.

The curriculum will provide motivation and orientation, knowledge and skills to postgraduate students, health, public health and social care professionals who (aim to) assist, treat, care and refer migrating persons and/ or design, plan and implement health and social care programs for migrating populations and their integration and/ or for those who aim to participate in migrants’ health related researches.

The objective of this course is the transfer of competences needed to act in this challenging framework. This includes solid knowledge about migration and its links to health, as well as the relevance for sectors like economy, labor market and health systems.

This course is offered by Danube University Krems in cooperation with the University of Pécs. The curriculum was developed in a joint program by the University of Pécs, Danube University Krems, the Medical University Graz, the Medical University Greifswald, University Kosice and University of East Anglia, financed by the ERASMUS program of the European Union.

The curriculum is built around six core competences:

 clinical and public health assessment;

• epidemiology and research methodology;
• environmental medicine and occupational health;
• economic / health economic impact of migration;
• organization and systems management;
• social and behavioural aspects of migration including multicultural, multireligious aspects and their health/ mental health impact.

The academic year will be fourteen months in length, consisting of three fourteen week semesters and six weeks devoted to the completion of a practicum and pursuit of an individually designed project. The candidate will receive the Master of Science in Migrant Health upon successful completion of the core programme and submission of a written thesis related to practicum. The program will match the EU standard criteria and will provide 120 credit (according to the European Credit Transfer System /ECTS) in addition to the candidates minimum required BA level diploma.

All documents will be made in language of the country and in English as well.

Who are advised to apply?

 academic personnel, researchers, practitioners and students

• health and social care professionals, nurses, social workers and care givers interested in migrant healthcare/ integration of migrants
• representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), policy and decision makers.

Admission requirements:

 An Austrian or equivalent foreign academic degree in humanities, economics, health- or social sciences or a similar field and

• The invitation by the course management to carry out the admission procedure (i.e. interview), and the  clarification by the course management to ensure that the subject-specific requirements for admission to the desired studies are met.

For further information see also http://www.donau-uni.ac.at/en/studium/zulassung/