Taking Academics To A New Height

Q. How does IIHMR aim to contribute for social equity and development?

Established in 1984, IIHMR University is a leading knowledge institution of the country engaged in teaching, research and training in the domains of public health, health and hospital administration, pharmaceutical management and rural development. The MPH program is offered jointly with Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and the university with which IIHMR shares a long and active partnership. Additionally, IIHMR University also offers a full-fledged multidisciplinary Ph.D. program in a wide spectrum of health, hospital and pharmaceutical systems and social and behavioral sciences. Over the past thirty years, IIHMR has carved a niche for itself among management institutions, both in India and abroad. The institute is the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Strengthening Health Systems based on Primary Care and is termed as an ‘Institute of Excellence’ by the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. IIHMR has already conducted more than 500 research projects and studies on the health, social and developmental systems and policies in India and wider South-East Asian Region. Now stepping in the fourth decade, we strive to generate knowledge to help develop effective health, social and public systems and socially relevant health technologies. The genesis of IIHMR owes to the pressing need at that time to improve the health systems in India. The founding idea of IIHMR was thus that better management of health systems could significantly affect the operational efficiency of healthcare delivery in India.  It is with this vision that the institute was set up.

Q. How successful have you been in achieving the institute's mission of improving the standard of health through better healthcare management?

IIHMR University strives continuously to improve healthcare in India and abroad through excellence in academic, research, training and other activities. We are closely involved in capacity building of healthcare professionals. Two working days a month are set aside for faculty development. There are regular workshops for this and the faculty is encouraged to attend international conferences and seminars. Our aim is to have an active faculty & students exchange program with international institutions of repute. We are constantly engaged in improving our position as a premier health management, training and consulting institute. Known as a learning organization with the core values as quality, accountability, trust, transparency, IIHMR University aims to contribute to social equity and development through a commitment to support programs aimed at the poor and the underprivileged. With the new age, The University has three schools i.e. Institute of Health Management Research, School of Pharmaceutical and School of Rural Management. 

Q. What are the institute's core activities in terms of research and academics?

We provide exposure to our students through hands-on research and involvement with the projects we undertake. The highly qualified faculty is involved in evidence-based research on contemporary policy issues related to health, well-being and development in India and in the wider South Asia and South-East Asia Regions, with the larger goal of promoting sustainable human development.

IIHMR University has a vibrant research portfolio on health care system including teaching and training. Currently, the Institute has also been involved with the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in various states of the country. These Surveys generate national level data and evidence which help in developing health policy and plans and assess the impact of on-going health programs. One of the most exciting interventions in public health, PMA2020 was originally designed to facilitate annual progress reporting in support of the goals and principles of Family Planning 2020 (FP2020), using an innovative data platform. This initiative, which is being implemented by IIHMR University, Jaipur in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) is being conducted in collaboration with the Gates Institute at Johns Hopkins University and represents the cutting-edge of survey research globally. 

Q. The Post Graduate Programme at IIHMR is designed to provide graduates appropriate knowledge, attitude, and skills. How successful has IIHMR been in this effort?

IIHMR University is a pioneer in health, Pharma and Rural management education. Involved with preparing professionals for the particular at sector and capacity building (through its Post Graduate and Executive Training Programs) the Institute also plays a major role in promoting and conducting research in policy and strategy development and ineffective implementation of all the programs. In terms of result, we have had an impressive hundred percent placement record since the University established. The placement process is still underway. Over50 companies have already visited the campus to recruit our students. They include: ZS Associates, Thumbay Group of Hospitals, Manipal Hospitals, Fortis Hospital, Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., NHSRC, Max Healthcare, Portea, NHM, Care Bihar, Columbia Asia Hospital, IMS Health, Credi Health Private Limited,Shelby Hospital,Narayana Healthcare,Delcour Lifesciences Ltd. 

Q. What types of training programmes does the institute offer?

The Institute addresses these challenges by keeping these areas in mind while devising its courses research activities, in-service training, and consultancies. The University has training halls equipped with all the modern training facilities like LCD, OHP, whiteboard, chalkboard, flip charts, and air-conditioning. Library The library and documentation center has a well-balanced collection of books and periodicals. There is Health Informatics to accelerate the inclusion of technology to improve healthcare in India. The Institute is also exploring possibilities of collaborating with reputable institutions such as UNFPA and IIHMR have jointly organized the second edition of the two-week International Training Program on Family Planning and Reproductive Health Commodity Security (FP/RHCS). IIHMR University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KhesarGyalpo University of Medical Sciences (KGUMS) of Bhutan to collaborate on research and training activities in the health sciences, broadly defined. The emerging issues are included in our training courses which are reviewed and revised every year. The WHO Fellowship Program is a significant means of WHO support for the development and strengthening of human resources for the health sector. Also, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and IIHMR University jointly organize a two-day capacity building workshop in Vaccine Economics. The workshop covered subjects like defining costs; uses of cost data for program managers and applying costing methodology for routine immunization programs among others. Apart from this, Summer training is an integral part of our Post Graduate Programmes. As a part of the curriculum, each student of the first year is required to undergo two months’ Summer training with reputed Organizations.