HERO-HEALTH Joint Master’s Programme Officially Launched in Athens

On 25 June 2026, the University of Thessaly and Teachers College, Columbia University officially launched the Joint Master’s Programme in Humanitarian Action and Inclusive Management of Public and One Health Challenges (HERO-HEALTH) during an inaugural event held at Aigli Zappeiou in Athens.

The event brought together representatives of the Greek Government, higher education authorities, academic leaders from Greece and the United States, experts in humanitarian action, public health, One Health and disaster preparedness, as well as representatives of civil protection and the wider community.

The launch marked an important milestone in the collaboration between the University of Thessaly and Teachers College, Columbia University, establishing the foundations for an interdisciplinary postgraduate programme designed to address some of the most complex challenges facing contemporary societies.

HERO-HEALTH brings together expertise from health sciences, humanitarian action, crisis management, environmental and climate-related risks, education and social inclusion. Its academic approach reflects the increasing need for professionals who can work effectively across disciplines and respond to emergencies and crises affecting both human and community wellbeing.

The inaugural meeting featured contributions from senior representatives of government and higher education, including Sofia Zacharaki, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports; Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Health; Nikos Papaioannou, Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports responsible for Higher Education; and Konstantinos Katsafados, Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

The academic community was represented by Professor Charalambos Billinis, Rector of the University of Thessaly and Scientific Coordinator of HERO-HEALTH; Professor Chrysi Laspidou, Vice-Rector for Innovation, Internationalisation, Collaborations and Digital Governance at the University of Thessaly; Professor Periklis Mitkas, President of the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education; Professor Catherine Mary Embree of Teachers College, Columbia University; and Professor Emmanuel Pikoulis of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, among other distinguished participants.

Their contributions highlighted the importance of international academic cooperation, resilient health systems, crisis preparedness and interdisciplinary education in addressing emerging societal challenges.

A central part of the programme focused on interdisciplinary discussion.

The first panel, “Educating the New Humanitarian Professional: One Health, Public Health, and Crisis Leadership,” explored the knowledge, competencies and leadership skills required by professionals operating in complex humanitarian and health emergencies.

A second panel, “Climate Justice, Disaster Preparedness & Data: From Risk Mapping to Action for Protecting Vulnerable Communities,” examined the relationship between scientific evidence, preparedness, community engagement and social inclusion, with particular attention to populations disproportionately affected by crises and disasters.

These discussions reflected one of the central principles of HERO-HEALTH: effective crisis response requires collaboration across academic disciplines, institutions and professional sectors.

Innovation and experiential learning were also highlighted during the event through a curated virtual reality preview.

The presentation demonstrated the potential of immersive technologies and simulation-based education to support realistic crisis-preparedness training, allowing learners to engage with complex scenarios in controlled and interactive environments.

The use of digital learning tools, simulations and applied training forms an important part of the educational philosophy of HERO-HEALTH.

HERO-HEALTH is a three-semester, 90 ECTS interdisciplinary Joint Master’s Programme developed through the academic collaboration of the University of Thessaly and Teachers College, Columbia University.

The programme combines academic education with digital learning tools, blended teaching, crisis simulations and applied training, preparing professionals to design, implement and evaluate effective and inclusive interventions in complex and rapidly evolving crisis environments.

The inaugural event in Athens marked the beginning of this academic collaboration and established a common platform for international exchange, innovative education and interdisciplinary cooperation at the intersection of Humanitarian Action, Public Health and One Health.

View the complete event recap, programme, speakers and official photo gallery.