About the Public Health Unit

The world faces new infectious disease epidemics due to global warming and globalization. The number of patients with infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases has recently been on the rise in Asian countries including Japan. Also attracting attention in recent years is mental health, which is closely related to the WHO's definition of health as not merely the absence of disease or infirmity but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. The Public Health Unit of the Global Cooperation Institute for Sustainable Cities (GCI) is committed to deepening cooperation with Asian countries that share these issues and to developing solutions at a global level that transcends national borders.

Initiatives

  • The Public Health Unit utilizes the International Academic Consortium for Sustainable Cities (IACSC), an inter-university network established by GCI, to conduct joint programs with students from overseas universities. The main programs are the Sakura Science Program implemented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the Sustainable Urban Development Program (SUDP) for joint education on urban issues, and the Yokohama Urban Solutions Study Program (YUSS) research and educational guidance program primarily for graduate students.
  • Joint lectures with the School of Nursing are also conducted, offering opportunities to interact with undergraduate students from universities in the Philippines and Indonesia and to engage in fieldwork to deepen understanding of the health and medical systems in both countries.
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    Research Activities

  • The Public Health Unit conducts research with participating IACSC universities on public health and other issues facing Japan and other countries, primarily in Asia. As of 2022 , the Unit is conducting research concerning Indonesia and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and is collaborating with faculty from Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and YCU's School of Nursing, School of International Commerce, School of Data Science, and School of International Liberal Studies to develop assessment and evaluation indicators for recent online global education.
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