With mock exams now completed, the new 2025/26 IHTM cohort begins Hilary Term with renewed focus, marking the transition from induction and foundational learning to the next phase of the IHTM MSc course.
Since arriving in Oxford in early autumn, students have taken part in a tightly packed programme exploring key paradigms, tools and challenges shaping global health. Teaching combined lectures, interactive workshops and group-based learning, encouraging students to critically engage with evidence while drawing on the diverse professional and geographical experiences within the cohort.
IHTM Leadership Retreat, September 2025
A first key milestone was a leadership retreat held at Hill Barn in the Cotswolds; a chance to bring students and faculty together in an informal setting. The retreat focused on establishing a collaborative learning culture and introducing the programme's core values.
Through discussions and group exercises, students explored working across disciplines and effective communication. In an afternoon session, students shared objects from their home countries, highlighting the rich diversity of contexts and perspectives represented within this cohort.
The day also introduced mindfulness and reflective practice as tools to support wellbeing over the course of the MSc programme.
Michaelmas Term drew to a close with a festive gathering at the Cherwell Boathouse, offering students an opportunity to reflect on an engaging and intense autumn term and to celebrate their progress since the start of the programme.
Hilary Term 2026 marks a new phase, with core teaching continuing alongside elective modules in preparation for students' eight-week research placements later this year.
With strong foundations in place, the cohort now shifts focus toward practical application of knowledge and skills across disciplines, and developing work with the potential to create meaningful impact in global health.