Critical analysis of the current health care system: Students will be guided to understand the current dynamics and challenges of the NHS, assessing aspects such as accessibility of services, financial sustainability, and inequalities in access to care. Development of design skills: Through the use of participatory design methodologies, students will learn to develop concrete proposals to improve the NHS, integrating economic, social and environmental considerations. Promoting community participation: Emphasis will be placed on the importance of involving communities in health policy making and implementation, exploring new models of participatory governance. Innovation and sustainability: Students will be encouraged to think innovatively, proposing sustainable solutions that can effectively respond to the challenges of the future, such as an aging population and increasing chronic diseases.

By the end of the course, students should be able to: Govern key aspects of the health system: Develop a critical understanding of the inner workings of the health ecosystem and understand how it affects social, economic and environmental development. Understand the characteristics of health sustainability: Grasp the principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainability in the context of the health system and understand how these elements interact with each other. Understand the roles and interactions of various stakeholders: Learn how private actors, public bodies, regulators and impact assessment agencies interact in health system regulation and development to promote sustainable practices and policies. Interact with health professionals and policy makers: Gain knowledge from, and critically engage with, professionals and practitioners involved in the health sector, questioning their approaches and contributing to the debate on sustainable solutions for the health system.

This course explores the intersection of modern welfare state systems and the management of health services, highlighting emerging national and global challenges. Students will examine how welfare models influence the effectiveness and efficiency of health services, as well as the opportunities these systems offer the business sector, stimulating innovation and sustainability. The course will provide a detailed overview of the evolution of the concept of "planetary health," exploring how environmental changes impact human health on a global scale and what the implications are for welfare policies. Through analysis of case studies and co-design with experts in the field, participants will develop a deep understanding of current dynamics and strategies to address issues such as climate change, pollution and emerging diseases. Prospects for investment in the health sector will also be discussed, considering how welfare models can facilitate the transition to more resilient and adaptive health systems. Participants will be involved in collaborative projects to devise innovative solutions that address both the immediate and long-term needs of populations.

Papers will be provided for each week during the course. These represent only the initial materials. 1) Use of behavioural and cultural insights in 2021–2022 in the WHO European Region: status report. 2) Health Policy Series, No. 49. Rechel B, Maresso A, Sagan A, et al., editors. Copenhagen (Denmark): European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies; 2018. 3) A history of Italy’s health policy from the Republic to the new century Chiara Giorgi. 4) Health Systems in Transition Vol. 24 No. 4 2022 5) The evolution of the Italian National Health Service, Walter Ricciardi Rosanna Tarricone. 6) The Italian National Health Service after the Economic Crisis: From Decentralization to Differentiated Federalism O Serviço Nacional de Saúde italiano após a crise económica: da descentralização ao federalismo diferenciado, Stefano Neri.

Students will be required to read selected reference material prior to the relevant lesson. Therefore, the traditional presentation of analytical problems can be concise and leave room for questions and answers and discussions. Experts from companies, EU institutions, regulators and supranational bodies will give presentations and participate in panels on specific topics.

Student assessment will be based primarily on their weekly written work and presentation (70 percent of the final grade), and on class participation, which will include student presentations, questions and answers on topics discussed during lectures, participation and involvement in in-class workshops and debates (30 percent of the final grade), and a final part on the final exam . Therefore, active participation is a key aspect of assessment.

Deep interest in the subject