Advancing Healthcare Worldwide: McMaster University Unveils New Global Health School

McMaster’s Commitment to Global Health Grows with New School’s Grand Opening

In a milestone for global health education, McMaster University officially launched the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine on 22 May 2025. The inaugural event marked the beginning of new initiatives in social medicine, global surgery, entrepreneurship, and humanitarian work, reinforcing McMaster’s long-standing commitment to addressing pressing health challenges worldwide. The school is rooted in McMaster University’s strong tradition in global health and is supported by the Departments of Medicine and Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI). It will expand upon the university’s established master's and PhD programmes, offering students and researchers opportunities to engage in innovative solutions for global health disparities.

The establishment of the school follows a February 2022 donation by Alabama physician and entrepreneur Dr. Marnix E. Heersink and his wife Mary, aimed at strengthening McMaster’s role in biomedical innovation, entrepreneurship, and global health. Dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Paul O’Byrne, acknowledged the Heersinks’ generosity, stating that it has enabled the university to advance its vision, deepen its global health impact, and build on its legacy. He described the new school as a significant and timely step in McMaster’s ongoing commitment to global health.

To lead this initiative, Professor Sonia Anand has been appointed the inaugural head of the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine in her role as associate vice-president of Global Health. Renowned for her contributions to global and population health, particularly in addressing health inequities, Anand is expected to shape the school's direction with a transformative vision. She described the celebration of the Heersink gift and the school's official opening as the culmination of faculty and staff efforts, reflecting their dedication to innovative educational programmes, global and local ("glocal") research, and humanitarian initiatives. She expressed her enthusiasm about furthering this work to create meaningful global and community impact.

The event commenced with the unveiling of the school’s sign, followed by speeches from Professor Sonia Anand, Mary Heersink, incoming McMaster President Susan Tighe, Acting Provost Jerry Hurley, Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, and Dean Paul O’Byrne. Their remarks highlighted the development of McMaster’s global health programme, initially spearheaded by Andrea Baumann, the university’s international education partnerships, and the school's potential to drive innovation and impact in global health and social medicine.

Following the formal proceedings, guests attended a reception featuring refreshments, live entertainment, and networking opportunities with faculty, advisory board members, community partners, and students. McMaster musicians performed at the gathering, while a live artist created an eco-friendly watercolour and mixed-media artwork to capture the event’s essence. This artwork will be displayed in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery (Room 3500) in the coming weeks. With its strong foundations and visionary leadership, the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine is set to make a lasting impact on global health education.

Editor’s Note

The launch of the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine marks a significant moment in McMaster University's commitment to advancing global health education. Rooted in the university’s strong tradition in medicine and research, this new initiative addresses pressing healthcare challenges through social medicine, global surgery, entrepreneurship, and humanitarian work. With the generous support of Dr. Marnix E. Heersink and Mary Heersink, the school is positioned to make a lasting impact by expanding academic programmes and fostering meaningful collaborations. Under the leadership of Professor Sonia Anand, the institution is expected to drive innovation while tackling health inequities on both local and global levels.

Skoobuzz believes that as healthcare continues to evolve, initiatives like these play a vital role in shaping the next generation of leaders dedicated to improving health outcomes worldwide.