The Department of Public Health at The University of Manchester has developed a series of open-access courses on public health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a key part of the United Nation’s work to improve lives and protect the natural world. Public health is integral to these aspirations, in helping to improve people’s health while protecting the health of our planet and the natural world that we are all dependent on. This series of courses aims to give an introduction to the public health issues that are relevant to the SDGs, and the role of public health in taking action to achieve the goals.

There are 18 courses in total. They use a mixture of reading, video, and interactive elements, taking about 1 hour each to complete. There is an overview, and one course for each of the Goals, allowing users to explore the issues they are interested in, or to work through them all for a comprehensive understanding. As a flexible, online resource, learning fits around people’s busy schedules. Suitable for most ages, the courses provide a valuable resource for teaching across various levels and situations and introducing people to these important concepts that are essential for achieving the SDGs.

The courses were initially launched at the International Festival of Public Health in July and they have also been successfully employed as teaching materials in our BSc in Public Health and Public Health International Summer Schools. You can access the courses here: https://publichealthsdg.edublogs.org

Public Health International Summer School students having fun with the Sustainable Development Goals, 2023.