One Health professionals representing 40 universities across North America as well as representatives from federal agencies gathered at Colorado State University in August to build a sustainable and robust network dedicated to addressing complex challenges across human, animal and environmental health.
Sessions focused on aspects of One Health, including research, education, service and outreach. Participants engaged in defining key issues, such as the need for federally sponsored training centers and the integration of One Health principles into service and outreach efforts.
Amanda Berrian, director of training and educational capacity for Ohio State’s Global One Health initiative (GOHi), co-chaired the One Health education section, which aimed to identify strengths and opportunities for continued development of formal and informal One Health education and training programs.
Discussion points will be used to refine the North America One Health University Network’s strategic priorities and formulate working groups to achieve shared goals in alignment with the Quadripartite One Health Joint Plan of Action.
As the network continues to develop, it will play an important role in uniting experts from universities and collaborating partners from diverse fields to tackle challenges that are best addressed by implementing the One Health approach. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of working together to create a healthier future for communities across the globe.