On May 10, 2012, a delegation from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine(LSHTM) visited Peking University China Center for Health Development Studies(CCHDS) and School of Public Health(SPH). The delegation was headed by Dr. Ann Mills, Vice Director for Academic Affairs of LSHTM and Professor of Health Economics and Policy and an intentionally renowned expert in health policy and system research. The other two members of the delegation included Dr. Kara Hanson, Head and Professor of the Department of Global Health and Development and Dr. Carine Ronsmans, Professor at the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, LSHTM. The delegation spoke with Prof. Ke Yang, Executive Vice President of Peking University and Peking University Health Science Center, Prof. Fang Weigang, Vice President of Peking University Health Science Center, Prof. Meng Qingyue, Executive Director of CCHDS and Dean of SPH, and other associate/assistant deans and directors, junior faculty members and students from CCHDS and SPH about strengthening collaboration between LSHTM and PUHSC. CMB consultant Dr. Shufang Zhang, Project Coordinator of United Nations Research Institute for Social Development accompanied the delegation.

Upon invitation by Prof. Meng, the three distinguished professors also joined the CCHDS seminar on May 11th and presented their research on financing universal health coverage, attraction and retention of human resource for health in rural areas, and maternal and child care in low-middle income countries. The presentation was well received by all participants.

BACKGROUND:

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a world-leading institution in public health education and research. Founded in 1899, LSHTM is part of University of London and has multidisciplinary expertise with alumni in more than 180 countries. The Faculty of Public Health and Policy at LSHTM aims to improve global health through research, teaching and the provision of advice in the areas of health policy, health systems and services, and individual, social and environmental influences on health. The Faculty is the largest multi-disciplinary public health group in Europe, with a total of over 220 staff including epidemiologists, public health physicians, economists, policy analysts, anthropologists, sociologists, historians, psychologists, statisticians and mathematicians. The visit was part of an effort of the China Medical Board (CMB) to explore potential opportunities for LSHTM to collaborate with leading Chinese medical universities to advance the field of health policy and systems sciences and strengthen the capacity in public health research and education in China.