The Iowa Global Health Network, an International Programs (IP) affinity group, will present Building Multidisciplinary Global Health Collaborations: Connecting Ideas, Values, and People. This event, funded by an IP Major Project award, seeks to spark human connections and inspire multi-disciplinary global health collaborations. 

The Major Project centers on a week-long visit in September by Dr. Nada Melhem, professor of infectious diseases and microbiology in the Division of Health Professions, Medical Laboratory Sciences, at the American University of Beirut. Melhem’s visit will lay the foundation for a sustainable, multilayered and cross-disciplinary relationship between our two major academic health centers and advance the goals of a recently established memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the University of Iowa and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Beirut, Lebanon.  

“The visit by Dr. Nada Melhem under the auspices of IP's Major Project grant underscores an enduring partnership with the AUB that began during the pandemic,” said Russ Ganim, associate provost and dean of International Programs. “While the focus is on public health and health inequities, the MOU with the American University in Beirut opens the door to future faculty/student collaborations, guest lectures, and possible joint curricular development.” 

While rooted in academic collaboration, this project goes further by bringing the conversation to the local Iowa City community through a series of community-based events. Events open to the public include two lectures, a film screening and discussion, and a presentation to the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council. 

“Despite huge challenges to international travel during the pandemic, the Iowa Global Health Network fostered a wonderful new collaboration with Dr. Nada Melhem and colleagues at American University of Beirut - through innovative virtual networking,” remarked Claudia Corwin, clinical associate professor of Internal Medicine and director of the Iowa Global Health Network. “We are thrilled to now move forward with an in-person visit by Dr. Melhem for a packed schedule of community-based events and on-campus meetings and presentations. We are especially excited about a planned midweek FilmScene Theater screening of the film Costa Brava.” 

The visit is hosted by the Iowa Global Health Network with support from UI International Programs, in collaboration with the UI College of Public Health, FilmScene, Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, and the UI Carver College of Medicine. 

Through the generous support of the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization, International Programs' Major Projects Award promotes important contributions to scholarly debates and exchanges on international topics, issues, discoveries, and arts.

Learn more about this Major Project and see the full list of events open to the public here. 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Daniel Vorwerk in advance at daniel-vorwerk@uiowa.edu or 319-467-1619.

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.