Nordic Centre for research and studies in Public Health

1. Nordic Centre for research and studies in Public Health

2. NHV is run by the five Nordic countries through the Nordic Council of Ministers in Copenhagen

3. Some facts about NHV • Each year about 700 students from all nordic countries take one or more courses at NHV • NHV has approx. 55 staff, of which some 30 are professors and lecturers/researchers • NHVs budget for 2006 wasapprox. 50 MSEK (5,5 M€)

4. Nordic Cooperation • The Nordic countries are similar enough for co-operation to be fruitful and different enough to provide learning experiences for the respective countries. Education and research are fields where we have and have had more to gain from working cooperatively than individually. Universal Design is one concept where cooperation gain us all

5. Research areas in focus at NHV • Aspects of disability • Mental health • Intersectorial collaboration for health i.e.Universal Design • Health of immigrant children • Epistemology Public is health is a global challange – focusing on equal health and wellbeing

6. Research courses Case-studies in PublicHealth Research design and methods in Public Health Science Qualitative methodology Master courses MA Public Health Note: At present NHV can only offer single courses in English and will not offer a complete MPH-program in English during 2007-2008. Types of courses at NHV • Commissioned education • NHV offers education and training courses within the field of public health to business well as to various sectors of society

7. Universal Design activities at NHV It all started in spring 2005 when the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) commissioned the NHV to develop courses in Universal Design. The ambition today is to increase the Universal Design network of people and organisations in the Nordic and Baltic countries who support the goal: A society for all. We want to built a Center of competence at NHV for research and education based on a Universal Design perspective where new solutions and idea´s for an accessible environment gives the optimal conditions for developing products and services with a good usability for all. (Center of innovation in Public Health)

8. 34 architects, occupational therapists, politicians, all working with municipal planning A Nordic programme for Action adapted by NCM was presented by Secretery General Per Unckel. The overview will be presented in the nordically.org The nordic wellfare and well-beeing portal in September Universal Design activities and results Results Initiatives and activities 2005 • Universal Design course in Municipal planning (4 ECTS) • A conference in Universal Design, (arranged together with NSH) was arranged at Nordic School of Public Health • An overview of present courses in higher education offered in the Nordic countries where the Universal design concept were integrated

9. Initiatives and activities 2006 The Results • Universal Design course in Municipal planning (4 ECTS) • Seminar in Norway discussing future initiatives and Nordic cooperation in the field • Involvement in the project with Norweigian communities Architects, occupational therapists, politicians, all who worked with municipal planning. (30 prof.) Agreement on Nordic cooperation in higher education and research. Education, workshops and conferencies

10. Initiatives and activities 2007 Results • Nordic-Baltic seminars introducing Universal Design as a national strategy • Research seminar where the future for research in/at Universal design were discussed. • Universal design – for enhanced Public Health (4 ECTS) • Two workshops carried out in January and February 2007, follow up now here in Norway. • Application for funding (Nordforsk) a research course in Universal design at NHV. • A new course Design for all enhanced Public Health (20 prof) Ind. designers, occ.therapists, architects,health prevention

11. Plans for the near future • The Design for all education portal will be launched in September 2007 as one part of the Nordic wellfare and well-beeing portal. • A Universal Design course on research level is planned for researchers and postgraduate students from different disciplines whose scientific work relates to Universal Design. • A seminar for Norweigian pilot municipalities in Universal Design in december 2007. The objective will be Cost/Benefit Analysis • An international conference in Universal Design in Mars 2008 at the Nordic School for Public Health • Application for funding a Universal Design course (held in english) in Municipal planning (4 ECTS) at the Nordic School of Public Health • Several courses on the topic Universal Design (November 2007 and April 2008)

12. How can we cooperate? • Education ? • Workshops ? • Research projects ? • Training? • Common Nordic/Baltic projects Thanks for listening – any questions ?

13. NSH • Nordic Cooperation on Disability or NSH is an institution based in the social and health sector of the Nordic Council of Ministers. • NSH initiates and manages the cooperation at the Nordic level between the various players in the disability sphere.