The newly established Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine at McMaster University will expand upon McMaster’s legacy of excellence in global health and is anchored by the departments of Medicine and Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI).

The university Senate and Board of Governors approved the school in December 2024.

The school will build on the successful Global Health educational program established by Andrea Baumann through its robust master’s and PhD programs, and will further advance global health and social medicine research, education and humanitarian work.

“We are grateful for the generous gift from Mary and Marnix Heersink in support of this new, innovative school in the Faculty of Health Sciences, which will build on McMaster’s global health successes to date and expand our positive global impact,” said Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

This gift represents a portion of the Heersinks’ more than $32 million donation to McMaster University.

“Our family is honoured to support McMaster’s comprehensive approach to advance human health and protect populations,” said Mary Heersink.

“Through well forged partnerships and a focused mission, the school will continue to do work that is consequential on a global scale.”

Sonia Anand, associate vice-president of Global Health, will serve as the inaugural leader of the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine.  

“The Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine solidifies McMaster’s commitment to advancing health equity and delivering impactful solutions for communities worldwide,” said Anand, who has a distinguished career in global and population health research and  is committed to addressing health inequities.

“We are excited to work across the globe and with our McMaster, hospital and community partners to shape the future of global health and social medicine.”

Anand is joined by a strong team of dedicated faculty, staff, and community partners focused on strengthening the school’s research, humanitarian and educational programs.

The school will act as a hub for consolidating and developing global and glocal (local challenges within a global framework) health education and research at McMaster, while introducing innovative programs to address pressing global and local challenges.

Among its new initiatives are: 

• A humanitarian and service delivery program, designed to equip students and professionals with the skills to implement effective and sustainable solutions in complex global contexts.

• A diploma program in global surgery, focusing on enhancing surgical care in underserved regions worldwide.

• A social medicine and entrepreneurship community program, fostering innovative approaches to social determinants of health through collaboration and community-driven solutions.

• Strategic focus in populations at risk and human migration, planetary health and food and health equity.
• A global health fellowship program to enable trainees and early career faculty from low- and middle-income countries to train at McMaster to augment their careers and scholarship and provide opportunities for McMaster students to develop research programs and train in our partner institutions around the world.