Newswise — The Agency for Public Health Accreditation (APHEA), an international certification body based in Europe, has granted accreditation to the School of Public Health at Université de Montréal (known by its French acronym ESPUM) for a six-year cycle, the maximum possible.
The accreditation was based on an in-depth review of the School’s components, operations and achievements. ESPUM demonstrated excellence across 38 standards covering the quality of its programs, the qualifications of its faculty, the richness and diversity of its student community, its research performance and the quality of its study and work environment.
Prestigious double recognition
ESPUM was already accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). It now becomes the only French-language school in the world, the only school in Canada, and the second in the world (after the Indiana University School of Public Health) to hold both CEPH and APHEA certification. This dual North American and European accreditation strengthens ESPUM’s standing as an international leader in public health education, research and knowledge dissemination.
“This accreditation, which coincides with ESPUM’s 10th anniversary, rewards all the work done over the past 10 years to build UdeM’s strengths in public health and make it a world-renowned centre for training and research in this field,” said Carl-Ardy Dubois, Dean of ESPUM.
A centre of critical thinking and scientific excellence
With over 1,200 students enrolled each year, mainly at the graduate level, ESPUM is a driving force for capacity building in public health, a hub for training the new generations of practitioners and researchers who will have to tackle the major challenges in public health today. With its affiliated research centres, ESPUM represents a critical mass of researchers seeking solutions to the problems that threaten the health of populations and the planet.
Looking ahead: A permanent agenda for continuous improvement
This dual international recognition is an asset for ESPUM’s student community and graduates alike, opening up multiple opportunities. ESPUM’s investment in these demanding accreditation processes demonstrates its commitment to excellence and each is an opportunity to set an agenda for continuous improvement.
The Dean therefore stressed that this recognition is not an end in itself: it constitutes a challenge to continue the constant efforts needed to renew programs and teaching methods, strengthen research capacity, support students throughout their studies, ensure academic success for the greatest number, and prepare students for their future careers and civic life.
RSS