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Bergen Summer Research School
BSRS 2025 COURSE

Health financing towards universal health coverage

This course explores the financial mechanisms and strategies essential for making progress towards universal health coverage (UHC). 

Health check
Photo:
Nguyễn Hiệp / Unsplash

Main content

Course leader
Oddvar Kaarbøe, Professor in health economics at the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen (UiB).

The course covers the principles of health economics, funding models, and policy frameworks necessary to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for all populations. Emphasis is put on universal health insurance as a policy instrument for making progress towards UHC.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the concept and importance of universal health coverage.
  • Analyze different health financing models and their impact on health systems.
  • Evaluate the role of government, private sector, and international organizations in health financing.
  • Develop strategies to address financial barriers to healthcare access.
  • Assess the sustainability and efficiency of health financing mechanisms

Reading list

TBA

Credits

Participation at the BSRS is credited under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Participants submitting an essay, in a form of a publishable manuscript of 10-20 pages, after the end of the summer school will receive 10 ECTS. Deadline for submission will be decided by your course leader.

It is also possible to participate without producing an essay. This will give you 5 ECTS. In order to receive credits, we expect full participation in the course-specific modules, plenary events and roundtables.

Course leader

Oddvar Kaarbøe is a professor in health economics at the University of Bergen. His research primarily focuses on the economics of health care systems, health policy, and the economic evaluation of health interventions. Professor Kaarbøe has contributed significantly to understanding how economic principles can be applied to improve health outcomes and the efficiency of health care delivery.