Between the 19th and 22nd of June, Semmelweis University hosted the EUniWell Summer School Future of Well-Being: One Health Perspectives and Co-Creation.
Bringing together 15 students representing eight different nationalities, the program created a unique international learning environment centered around one of EUniWell’s thematic priorities: the One Health approach. As the first EUniWell initiative dedicated specifically to this topic, the Summer School marked an important milestone in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the alliance.
One Health is a holistic framework that recognizes the close interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. Reflecting EUniWell’s commitment to addressing complex societal challenges through collaboration across disciplines, the Summer School encouraged participants to explore well-being from multiple perspectives and to consider how different fields of expertise can contribute to sustainable solutions for the future.
Throughout the four-day program, participants engaged in a diverse range of lectures, workshops, and interactive sessions covering topics such as antimicrobial resistance from a One Health perspective, responsible artificial intelligence in medicine, stress and health, inclusive communication, animal-assisted therapy, research methodologies, democracy, and open science. Combining scientific expertise with participatory learning formats, the program encouraged active engagement, critical thinking, and co-creation among participants.
The international character of the Summer School was reflected both in its participants and speaker lineup. Experts from several EUniWell partner universities – including the University of Santiago de Compostela, Linnaeus University, the University of Birmingham, the University of Murcia, and the University of Konstanz – joined colleagues from Semmelweis University to contribute to the program. The inclusion of external expertise from the University of Sussex further enriched the discussions and highlighted the program’s commitment to fostering dialogue beyond the alliance. Together, the speakers’ diverse disciplinary backgrounds provided participants with a truly interdisciplinary perspective on well-being and One Health-related challenges.
Beyond the academic program, the Summer School offered numerous opportunities for intercultural exchange, networking, and community building. By bringing together students and experts from different countries, disciplines, and academic traditions, the event fostered meaningful dialogue and encouraged participants to develop new perspectives on contemporary well-being challenges.
By combining the principles of One Health with EUniWell’s broader mission of promoting well-being, the Summer School demonstrated how international and interdisciplinary cooperation can contribute to addressing some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary societies. The initiative also laid the groundwork for future One Health-related activities within the alliance, highlighting the growing importance of this perspective in higher education, research, and societal engagement.
Semmelweis University’s involvement in the EUniWell program is supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (NKFIH).