Beyond the Virtual Classroom: ISGlobal’s 2025 Spring School Inspires Ongoing Collaboration

The 2025 edition of the International Spring School in Global Health marked the first Spring School organised since ISGlobal was renewed as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence for a second time. Thanks to this recognition, the programme was offered entirely free of charge, allowing for global participation. 

Held online from 31 March to 4 April, the course welcomed 967 students from 91 countries. With 84% of participants joining from outside Spain and 69% coming from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the Spring School confirmed its global reach. Notably, the number of participants from Spain more than doubled compared to the previous edition of the Summer School, as did participation from Latin America—an increase directly linked to the inclusion of four Spanish-language modules alongside two in English.

The 2025 edition also introduced three new modules linked to the Severo Ochoa programme, touching on topics such as host-pathogen interactions, urban planning and health impact assessment, and resilience in health systems. The diversity and relevance of the themes attracted a wide range of health professionals and students who praised the course’s interactive format, the expertise of facilitators, and the practical case studies used to illustrate complex issues.

More than a course: networking and continued collaboration

The impact of the Spring School extended beyond the week-long event. One of the modules, focused on physical activity in research, sparked such strong engagement that participants are now preparing a virtual summer meet-up to sustain the momentum. As Sarah Koch, one of the module’s coordinators, explained, “This year’s course has once again been very inspiring and I am very much looking forward to our online summer meet-up as it is a chance to learn how course participants implemented the course material into their work or their personal lives. It also offers an opportunity for me to learn about the role physical activity plays in countries and cultures that I have not yet had the chance to visit, and is quite different from my day-to-day research activities around physical activity.”

Her co-coordinator, Joren Buekers, echoed the sentiment: “After teaching the same module during a previous version of the Spring School, we were buzzing for weeks thanks to the enthusiasm and engagement we experienced from the participants. This year, we wanted to keep this amazing vibe alive by staying in contact with each other, learning from each other and telling the world altogether about the importance of being physically active!”

With its expanded language offerings and innovative content, the 2025 Spring School not only increased access to high-quality training in global health but also strengthened a growing network of professionals committed to tackling global challenges together. Far from ending on the last day, the course continues to spark dialogue, connection, and collaboration—proof that impactful learning goes well beyond the virtual classroom.