It creates meaningful, sustained connections across countries

As a Master’s and PhD student within the Global Health consortium, I had a uniquely international learning experience that shaped both my academic training and professional identity. During my MSc at Maastricht University, I worked closely with students and faculty from partner institutions, including Canada and India. This exposed me to diverse perspectives, strengthened my intercultural communication skills, and prepared me to collaborate effectively across borders and time zones, competencies that remain central to my work as a global health professional.

As a PhD student in the consortium, I also had the opportunity to teach and engage with students in the United States, Canada, India, and the Netherlands. This experience deepened my ability to navigate different academic cultures and working styles. The consortium’s greatest added value lies in the way it creates meaningful, sustained connections across countries, equipping scholars with the global networks and practical skills needed to work in truly international research and policy environments.

Patricia Ogba
Graduate Research Assistant at McMaster University and Project coordination Consultant at Women’s Health in Women’s hands Community Health Centre.