New International Project Health Bridge Unites Universities of Sweden, Ukraine, and Latvia to Advance Health Diplomacy
The newly launched Health Bridge project brings together leading universities from three countries – Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), Bogomolets National Medical University (Ukraine), and the University of Latvia – with the mission of strengthening health diplomacy across the Baltic and Eastern European region. The initiative has been awarded funding by the Swedish Institute, following a highly competitive call in which only 32 proposals were selected for support.
At its core, Health Bridge seeks to establish the Baltic and Eastern European Global Health Diplomacy Network, connecting academic institutions in the Baltic region, Eastern Europe, and the Health Diplomacy Institutional Network. Building on partnerships already established between Karolinska Institutet, Ukrainian universities, and the Health Diplomacy Institutional Network (which Ukraine joined in 2023), the project addresses a pressing challenge of our time: strengthening health diplomacy as a tool for more resilient health systems, crisis response, and regional stability.
Within the framework of Health Bridge, the Baltic and Eastern European Global Health Diplomacy Network will bring together partners from the Baltic States, the Eastern Partnership region, the Balkans, and Central and Eastern Europe. The network will host regular online meetings, international workshops, and in-person events in Latvia, Sweden, or Ukraine. A strong emphasis will be placed on engaging young researchers and PhD students from all partner countries.
The project also aims to adapt and disseminate the expertise developed by Ukrainian researchers in areas such as emergency response, socio-behavioural determinants of health, and crisis communication. Research under Health Bridge will focus on barriers to implementing best practices, preparedness for emergencies, and the role of academic institutions in shaping health policy.