CoPEH-Canada Course and Webinar Series
2023 Hybrid, multi-site Field course on ecosystem approaches to health
May-June 2023
Discover innovative and dynamic approaches for better understanding the multiple factors which influence health – ecosystem approaches to health – with an experienced, pan-Canadian team in this blended learning experience. During this intensive course, you will learn methods for carrying out research and interventions on issues at the confluence of health, the environment and society.
This graduate-level, field course on ecosystem approaches to health will be held at three sites in May-June: Montréal (UQAM), Guelph (University of Guelph), and Prince George (UNBC). The course includes eight two-hour sessions that are conducted as simultaneous webinars across the sites and that can be taken alone, without registering for a graduate-level course*. The rest of the time for the three university groups will be locally run sessions, including group work and activities designed to help participants integrate their learning into their own work. These activities will revolve around a theme, which, this year, is Reciprocity. We will explore the relationships between researchers, ecosystems, communities, partners, etc.
We are inviting participants in the 2023 edition of the CoPEH-Canada course and webinar series on ecohealth to engage with the narrative form (see selected books here) during the webinar series and course, providing new perspectives. We offer a rigorous, hands-on pedagogical approach. This recent paper published in the Lancet Planetary Health describes our course and you can explore some of our teaching techniques on our teaching resources page.
This course is available to graduate students from all disciplines and also to professionals interested in these themes. It is possible to register for the full course for credit at one of the participating universities or to follow the eight webinars only, on-line (a certificate of completion is provided)**.
- For those interested in following the webinar series or for general information*, please contact us at copehcanada <at> gmail.com
- For those interested in the course in Montréal, contact Jena Webb at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- For those interested in the course at Guelph, contact Jane Parmley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- For those interested in the course at UNBC, contact Margot Parkes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In 2023, the schedule for the webinars will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from May 11th to June 6th from 1:00 pm (EST), ending at 3:00 (EST). The order of the webinars might change.
| Webinar | Topic | Lead |
| May 11th | Orientation to Hybrid Course/Webinar Series: Introduction & History of Ecohealth Principles | Jane Parmley, UofGuelph; Jena Webb, UQAM; Margot Parkes, UNBC |
| May 16th | Resilience & Sustainability | Margot Parkes, UNBC; Sandra Martin Harris, Wet’suwet’en |
| May 18th | Gender & Social Equity | Johanne Saint-Charles, UQAM; Jena Webb, UQAM |
| May 23th | Transdisciplinarity & Knowledges | Jane Parmley, UofGuelph |
| May 25th | Complexity & Systems Thinking | Jane Parmley, UofGuelph |
| May 30th | Knowledge Exchange | Margot Parkes, UNBC |
| June 1st | Participation, Relationships & Power | Johanne Saint-Charles, UQAM; Jena Webb, UQAM |
| June 6th | Synthesis: Reciprocity | Expert panel: TBD |
* At 16 hours in total, the webinar series does not constitute a full, graduate-level course in and of itself. However, if you are interested in using the webinars, readings and cross-site activities as part of an independent/directed reading course, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
** In fees apply for the webinar-only option. Click here for fees and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions.
** Logo image: Painted glass and pressed wild flowers, @evieshaffer (evies.com)
Course participant Blogs
Each year, the participants of CoPEH-Canada's hybrid course write a blog on a topic of their choice related to ecosystem approaches to health and share with the other participants. Then everyone votes on their top three blogs and the three highest scoring blogs are published here. Along with the votes, participants have to provide a tweet for each blog they voted for, which we then use to publisize the blogs from our @copeh_canada twitter account. You can read past year's blogs here.