BC Environmental and Occupational Health Research Network

The Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Can) is an initiative funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and directed and administered by a consortium of Canadian universities (University of British Columbia, University of Guelph and Université du Québec à Montréal), whose primary objective is to promote and support research, education, policy and practice in ecosystem approaches to health. The CoPEH-Can website provides additional information about the community of practice and CoPEH-Can project. As part of the educational mandate of this initiative, CoPEH-Can will be hosting an 11-day short course entitled Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Ecohealth) in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia on August 05-15, 2008. A maximum of twenty-five participants will be accepted into the 2008 short course, including up to twenty graduate students (eligible for “Graduate Training Awards”) and up to five career development positions for those actively working in the field (eligible for “Career Development Training”).

Graduate Training Awards will offer twenty (20) awards of $1000 to help cover the costs for graduate students to attend the Ecosystem Approaches to Health Short Course. Graduate awardees will not be charged registration to attend the course.

Ecohealth Research Awards will offer four (4) awards of a maximum of $17,500 to cover justifiable field work and conference/dissemination expenses. Awards cannot be used to pay tuition fees but may be held concurrently with other awards. This research has to integrate an ecohealth approach, to be associated with the student’s graduate program and take place in a developing country or in a development context in Canada.

Career Development Training for up to five (5) professionals who are actively working in the field to participate in the Ecosystem Approaches to Health short course. Those applying for career development training are not eligible to receive a Graduate Training Award. Career Development Trainees will be expected to cover travel and accommodation. The registration costs are 750$ for the 11-day short course.