This year’s Salzburg Maastricht University Seminar in Public Health Law took place from June 12 to 18, 2022 at Schloss Arenberg in Salzburg, Austria. 33 Fellows from 19 different countries participated in the course, including eight people who were nominated by Maastricht University. The different backgrounds of the attendees, both OMI fellows and Maastricht University students, brought a variety of perspectives and experiences which resulted in fruitful discussions.
The course was led by Dr. Katarzyna Czabanowska, Professor of Public Heath Leadership and Workforce Development at the International Health Department, Maastricht University. Mr. Scott Burris, Professor of Law and Public Health at Temple University, served as co-course director for the week. Additional faculty included Dr. Suzanne Babich, Associate Dean of Global Health, Professor and Acting Chair of the Department of Global Health at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health in Indianapolis, Dr. Timo Clemens, Assistant Professor and public health researcher at Maastricht University, Dr. Marcin Kautsch, lecturer and researcher at the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Dr. Salman Rawaf, chair of Public Health Medicine, Director of WHO Collaborating Centre in the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London and Honorary Consultant Physician in the NHS. Dr. Farhang Tahzib, senior public health physician and leader, Founding Chair of the UK Faculty of Public Health Ethics Committee concluded the faculty.
The schedule this week did not only include 16 state-of-the-art lectures, but also focused on group work, offering fellows the opportunity to be creative and develop a proposed legal reform in a chosen country to address a public health problem. The three topics covered included E-scooters, marihuana, and COVID-19. In order to guide the selection of a policy and to determine the strongest legal form, plan an advocacy campaign, identify needs in the realm of implementation and design an evaluation strategy, fellows used the five essential public health law services framework.
The free afternoon on Wednesday was a nice opportunity for faculty and fellows to enjoy the summer day outside, exploring Salzburg and its beautiful surroundings, including St. Gilgen and the Wolfgangsee, which offered a refreshing break from the hot weather.
On Thursday evening, participants listened to a chamber music concert and enjoyed refreshing drinks. The seminar ended on Friday with a farewell reception in the garden, after which faculty and fellows were invited to a formal dinner, enjoying the last evening of the week together.
