Public health education, like other fields, is currently facing clear challenges that are also translating into opportunities for growth and improvement. The complexity of chronic diseases, climate change, the ageing of the population, and the urgency of investing in health promotion, combined with the opportunities offered by technological advances, encourage us to rethink the preparation of future health professionals, a rethink that must involve organisations and communities.
We need to stimulate the development of new skills and train professionals who not only understand the foundations and challenges of public health in a digital age, but who are also capable of leading change, who are entrepreneurs, who are committed to sustainable development, and also to health-centred care. This dynamic challenges us to innovate and adopt new strategies in public health teaching, with interdisciplinary models, the incorporation of advanced technologies, simulators, and real cases, among many others.
The globalisation process also encourages the incorporation of international experiences that enrich the cultural environment and promote intercultural understanding, contributing to social cohesion and the reduction of health inequalities. The continued commitment to integrating teaching, research and innovation with a holistic model of health is also relevant, translating into the creation of innovative solutions to the complex challenges of global public health.