Students Return to Swiss TPH

Education and training at Swiss TPH has a history as old as the institute itself. Since the first course—the General Tropical Course—was offered in 1944, education and training activities multiplied quickly, reflecting the ever-growing areas of expertise the institute offers. Originally housed in the building known as the “Föhre”, Swiss TPH quickly outgrew its surroundings, leading to an expansion in the 1960s that included a lecture room and library. Swiss TPH also widened the focus of education and training activities from a Swiss audience to an international one.

Mutual learning for change

Today, students from around the world come to Swiss TPH to study a range of topics that match the breadth of Swiss TPH’s expertise. With nearly 700 employees based in Basel, around 180 of them are doctoral students. These young talents are a driving force for research in the fields of medical parasitology and infection biology, public health and epidemiology and medical anthropology.

From bachelor to postgraduate studies

Many courses begin this week, including the course International Cooperation and Global Health (IZGG), which is welcoming 28 students. Swiss TPH also welcomes 26 Masters Students from 15 countries beginning their studies in Infection Biology (10) and Epidemiology (17), as well as 25 PhD students from 16 countries enrolled at the University of Basel and supervised by Swiss TPH academic faculty.  

New horizons

The new building “Belo Horizonte” offers six brand new lecture rooms and will combine state-of-the-art laboratories, education and workspaces under one roof. “We are excited and grateful to open this new chapter on education and training and Swiss TPH, which will allow us to further develop innovative teaching and learning for national and international students,” says Julia Bohlius, Head of Education and Training at Swiss TPH. Master and doctoral students will finally work and study together in a space designed to foster the interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration that is at the heart of Swiss TPH activities.