New U-M Center for Global Health Equity to Bolster Student, Faculty Work at Michigan Ross

The University of Michigan recently announced it has received a $10 million donation to accelerate global health research and initiatives across U-M campuses. Specifically, the gift funds the creation of a new U-M Center for Global Health Equity, which will bring together faculty, staff, and students across the university to support new and existing efforts to address health inequity in the world's poorest nations, and in disadvantaged populations in middle-income countries. The center will also help university groups work together with global partners more effectively.

The donation is a gift from Tadataka and Leslie D. Yamada. The couple joined the U-M community in 1983 when Yamada became the chief of gastroenterology at the U-M Medical School. He went on to chair the Department of Internal Medicine. Following his time at the university, Yamada worked in the pharmaceutical industry and later, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Michigan Ross faculty and students will have the opportunity to use the Center for Global Health Equity to amplify the many healthcare initiatives they lead. For example, the past winter, Ross MBAs participated in WDI sponsored Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) teams that focused on healthcare in emerging countries, including India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Uganda, Ghana, and Rwanda. One team spent three weeks in Rwanda working for The Ihangane Project to develop a business model to grow a ready-to-use therapeutic food that is used to treat severe, acute malnutrition.

In addition, Michigan Ross offers a "BA685: Healthcare Delivery in Emerging Markets" course, in which MBA students learn about healthcare in emerging markets through lectures, guest speakers, and case discussions. In the second half of the course, students are divided into teams and prepare for visits to their selected countries.

The organization and funding for the BA685 course is lead by the William Davidson Institute (WDI), an independent nonprofit organization located at Michigan Ross. WDI works across the healthcare value chain to enable well-functioning markets, strengthen supply chain systems, and improve healthcare delivery. In addition to frequent faculty publications focused on healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, WDI also drives hands-on healthcare learning experiences for students. 

An information session for students interested in the winter 2020 course offering of BA685 will be held on October 28 in Blau 1210 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

Learn more about the William Davidson Institute