Global Health Security, Solidarity and Sustainability through the International Health Regulations

Global Health Security, Solidarity and Sustainability through the International Health Regulations, offered by the University of Geneva through Coursera, is an intermediate-level online course designed to build knowledge of the International Health Regulations and their role in global health governance. The course explores the history of the IHR, its major principles, implementation procedures, and the challenges and opportunities surrounding its future use. It also connects this learning to global health security and the Sustainable Development Goals, making it relevant for both general learners and health practitioners.

Core Content

The curriculum is structured across seven modules and examines the origins, legal foundations, and operational procedures of the International Health Regulations. It covers the 2005 revision of the IHR, event notification and communication with the WHO, national core capacities, and institutional arrangements for implementation. The course also explores lessons from epidemics and environmental disasters, alongside broader issues such as climate-related health threats, mobility, trade, national security, and intersectoral collaboration across human and animal health.

Key Skills

Participants will develop the ability to understand the history and goals of the IHR, interpret the rights and obligations of States Parties and the WHO, and assess the strengths, weaknesses, and implementation challenges of the framework after more than a decade in practice. Coursera lists skills such as emergency response, public safety and national security, health care procedure and regulation, epidemiology, health systems, health policy, public health, infectious diseases, governance, and international relations among the learning outcomes.

Target Learners

This course is designed for international health practitioners, public health professionals, policy-focused learners, and individuals interested in global health security. Coursera identifies it as intermediate level and notes that some related experience is required, making it particularly suitable for those who already have some familiarity with public health or health governance and want to deepen their understanding of the IHR in practice. It is also open to a broader audience interested in learning more about this international legal mechanism.

Learning Format

Hosted on Coursera, the course is delivered in a flexible online format with seven modules and an estimated completion time of three weeks at around ten hours per week. The learning experience includes video lectures, recommended readings, practice exercises, graded quizzes, discussion prompts, and a graded final quiz. The course page also notes that it includes 32 assignments, offers a shareable certificate, and is taught in English with 21 language options available. It additionally features the virtual Simulator IHR 3.0, a serious game designed to let learners practice managing health crises from different perspectives.

Additional Benefits

The course offers strong value for learners seeking a more applied and internationally grounded understanding of health emergency governance. Its transdisciplinary design includes experts from more than 15 institutions worldwide and was produced jointly by the University of Geneva, Centre Virchow-Villermé for Public Health, Paris-Berlin, Université Paris Descartes, and ANEO, in close collaboration with the World Health Organization and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. This gives the course both academic depth and real institutional relevance for learners interested in global health preparedness and cross-border crisis response.

Browse more ESG courses and certifications to enhance your skills and knowledge.