The health of humans, animals, other organisms and the environment are inextricably linked. As proven by the Covid-19 pandemic, health challenges that stem from the complex interaction between humans, animals, plants and ecosystems call for a review of existing concepts and methods. Tighter collaboration across sectors and disciplines - life sciences, public health and social sciences - is crucial. Coupled with Una Europa’s activities in the field of sustainability, the diverse range of expertise from across the Una Europa partners carries tremendous potential to deliver high-quality initiatives in education, research and social engagement at large.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic has shown that health challenges require a profound review of existing methodologies and close collaboration between all the sectors and disciplines involved - life sciences, public health, and social sciences -. Adhering to this renewed vision of the concept of health, the General Assembly of Una Europa included - with the UNA-OH project - One Health among its official themes, together with European studies, Cultural Heritage, Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability.
The UNA-OH project of Una Europa also involves the Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, which has long been promoting the concept of Single Health through its International and Intercultural Health Center. Prof. Scagliarini from the Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine of the University of Bologna is currently Chair of the Self Steering Committee on One Health.
The University of Bologna also contributes to the One Health movement as one of the guest editors of a special topic on Frontiers Public Health: 'Taking a Fresh Look at Old Zoonoses: What Have We Been Missing in One Health Research and Education?'. The project, created to collect contributions that highlight multi and transdisciplinary collaborations in the One Health field, has the additional objective of stimulating discussion regarding the role of academia in One Health education, research, and knowledge transfer to promote and protect the health of human, animals, and environment.
One Health is a global movement and, as such, to succeed in expressing its highest potential, it aims to involve scholars, researchers, and health professionals from all over the world. In particular, One Health wishes to encourage interdisciplinary thinking in the next generation of scientists and health professionals through activities and associations dedicated to student engagement, such as the International Student One Health Alliance (ISOHA).
UNIBO actions:
The three professors that represent our university in the Self Steering Committee of One Health of Una Europa are: