Global Health Case Challenge 2016 - Refugees in Europe

70 students from 30 different study programmes across University of Copenhagen and other Nordic universities took part in the University of Copenhagen’s first Global Health Case Challenge. The case was given by the Red Cross and dealt with health challenges to the current European refugee crisis. One group solution was singled out as the case winner.

More than a million refugees reached Europe in 2015. Their journey towards and through Europe often involves long periods of dangerous transport with limited access to food, safe water, shelter, security and health care. To improve the conditions of refugees in transition innovative solutions are desperately needed.

The challenges faced by Red Cross and other actors are cross-disciplinary in nature, and their solutions must consider a multitude of aspects: ranging from medical and ethical, to financial, legal and technology related.

The case challenge sought out cooperative and creative mind-sets of students with an interest in humanitarian challenges and with 24 hours to spare.

After the 24 hours solutions were pitched and the winning team and their solution was chosen by a panel consisting of experts from the Red Cross and other stakeholders.

The winning solution was presented by the team consisting of Silas Addington, Nicoline Lokdam, Camilla Michaëlis who all study public health at University of Copenhagen, Annette Hedegaard who studies visual culture and identity at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and lastly Anders Devantier who studies Techno-Anthropology at Aalborg University. Their solution was a health information app containing health information for health professionals and applicable across national borders while also a tool for visualization in order to make health data accessible to the individual refugee. All data remains fully anonymous and can only be accessed with a password that the refugee creates. 

What is a case challenge?

In a case challenge the participants strive to develop the best solution to a real-world challenge presented by a business or organization.

In this case challenge the University of Copenhagen and the Red Cross invited students to spend 24 hours to develop solutions to a specific challenge that the Red Cross faces in their work with refugees in Europe.

The Global Heath Case Challenge, 2016, took place at the University of Copenhagen’s CSS Campus on 18-19 April 2016.

The event was arranged and hosted by the School of Global Health in close collaboration with the Red Cross.