CCOUC Forum Highlights the Value of Field-Based Training in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management

As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC), in collaboration with the Centre for Global Health (CGH) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and GX Foundation, organised a public forum titled “Field-Based Training for Health Professional Students in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management” on 18 September 2026. The hybrid event brought together academics, humanitarian practitioners, students and former CCOUC colleagues to exchange perspectives on the role of experiential learning in preparing future health professionals.

Professor Emily Ying-yang Chan, Director of CCOUC, delivered the opening and closing remarks, emphasising the continuing importance of field-based training in developing well-rounded and globally minded health professionals. Professor Patrick Kor from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University shared examples of service-learning projects for health professional students. Dr Grace Poon from GX Foundation reflected on her experiences as a medical doctor and discussed the value of exposing students to healthcare challenges in resource-constrained settings.

Ms Caroline Dubois reviewed the evolution of CCOUC's field-based training programmes, highlighting changes in training tools, including the integration of artificial intelligence, the expansion of learning topics and the growing emphasis on humanitarian governance. Students who had participated in CCOUC's humanitarian field training programme in Cambodia shared their firsthand experiences and key learning outcomes from community-based health interventions and disaster risk management activities. Former CCOUC colleagues also joined the discussions online.

The forum acknowledged the significant resources required to organise effective field-based training, including financial investment, staff time and the responsibilities placed on academic institutions and trainers. Despite these challenges, participants highlighted the educational value of combining classroom knowledge with practical humanitarian experience, particularly in strengthening students' understanding of local needs, professional responsibilities and global health inequalities.

The event attracted more than 20 in-person participants and over 40 online participants, marking the 13th activity organised or substantially supported by CCOUC as part of its 15th anniversary programme. The forum also recognised the support of the CUHK CCOUC Humanitarian Scholarship, GX Foundation, the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme and the AFTER THE END Project. Through continued collaboration, CCOUC remains committed to advancing field-based humanitarian education and strengthening the capacity of future health professionals in health emergency and disaster risk management.