International Activities
The international activities of the Center speak to the heart of our involvement and commitment in occupational and environmental health. The SWCOEH has a rich history of international collaboration in occupational and environmental health that pre-dates our designation as a WHO Collaborating Center in Occupational Health in 1986. The Center plays an active leadership role in the development and promotion of the WHO Network of Collaborating Centers in Occupational Health with colleagues from around the world.
Since 1995, with the first five-year award of the NIH-Fogarty International Research Training Program in Occupational and Environmental Health, our international activities have focused on the development of research and training programs with collaborating institutions in Latin America. Our bilingual faculty and staff, and the cultural, economic, and geographical ties to Latin America create exciting opportunities for the development of research and training in occupational and environmental health. These international activities provide a forum for investigation, scholarship, and the development of human resources and infrastructure dedicated to protecting the health of workers around the world.
Fogarty International Research Training Program in Occupational & Environmental Health
This international training program is conducted in collaboration between the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health of The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston and the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Houston, funded through a generous grant from the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health. Its main objective is to contribute to capacity-building of international research scientists, teachers and professionals in the fields of occupational and environmental epidemiology, industrial hygiene, ergonomics and safety engineering.
The overall goal of the Fogarty International Research Training program is to increase the capacity of scientists and researchers in the developing countries of Latin America to address the increasing morbidity and mortality associated with occupational and environmental exposures. The specific program objectives are:
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To train foreign scientists and professionals in the disciplines of occupational and environmental health
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To develop a network of professionals to collaborate in research programs
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To develop prevention programs
The program has five components that include:
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Long-term academic and research preparation
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Project-based research training and public health practice
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Targeted short courses and workshops; and Institutional research infrastructure development
WHO Collaborating Center
The SWCOEH was designated as a World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Occupational Health in 1985 under terms of reference that emphasize the Center's expertise in occupational epidemiology, exposure assessment, program development, implementation, and evaluation. Through WHO's regional office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the SWCOEH has been able to participate in a number of international occupational health activities including regional workshops on occupational health research methodologies.
PAHO is the western arm of the World Health Organization and is responsible for providing health services and activities throughout the Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas. Houston is an economic, cultural and geographic gateway to Latin America. This provides the SWCOEH with a unique opportunity and responsibility to participate in the development of occupational and environmental health knowledge in the region. Several bilingual faculty participate in these challenging activities.
