Master of Public Health - Specialization in HIV/AIDS

The Master of Public Health - Specialization in HIV/AIDS focuses on policy, politics and management of HIV/AIDS programmes, mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS, inclusion and mobilization of groups and communities, and institutional and workplace capacity.

Dealing with HIV/AIDS requires a multitude of unique skills and competencies on the part of those involved in addressing the pandemic and its impact. Organizations in the Netherlands and in countries heavily burdened by HIV/AIDS have expressed a need for better staff training in these skills and competencies. This programme is a response to this need.

Objectives

The programme is designed to develop the capacity of senior managers from different sectors to lead and coordinate the planning and management cycle of HIV/AIDS responses. This includes managing and organizing, monitoring and evaluating, formulating or influencing policy decisions, mainstreaming HIV/AIDS into different sectors, engaging in operational research, and being responsible for personnel management in a team.

Graduates will be able to:

• Critically analyse how different populations and groups are affected by HIV/AIDS and identify the rights and needs of different vulnerable population groups
• Appraise the role of health systems in terms of fundamental goals, functions, actors and performance.
• Identify priorities and influence effective policy-making and strategic planning concerning interventions in response to the problems posed by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, taking into account scientific evidence and good practice 
• Implement and monitors interventions to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemics by managing human, financial and logistic resources
• Work professionally across different sectors, disciplines and institutional levels, with private and public actors, and through advocacy, communication and networking
• Identify research needs; commissions research, and critically analyses and uses research results.
• Incorporate a pro-poor and equity approach in all actions
• Continuously examine and critically reflect on own practice and values and adjusts them accordingly.