Students as Changemakers:
Leading Together for Health Equity
Reaching Every Community Across the Globe
The SNO Global Health Summit brings together students, educators, health professionals, community representatives, institutional leaders, and partners from around the world to discuss what students are saying about the future of health professions education and health systems — and, most importantly, what should be done with what we hear.
Summit Sub-Themes
We welcome submissions presenting research findings, experience reports, community-based initiatives, extension projects, educational practices, innovative solutions, and student-led initiatives across four key sub-themes.
Breaking the Walls of the Classroom
Community Partnerships and Health Action
Exploring community-based learning and stronger connections between education, health systems, and communities. How lived experiences, local knowledge, and grassroots partnerships can shape health professions education, research, and community interventions.
Raising Voices for Prevention and Equity
What Kind of Professionals Are We Preparing Students to Become?
Exploring prevention, health equity, health literacy, and social determinants of health. Addressing empathy, inclusion, psychological safety, mental health, and preparing clinicians to respond to the diverse needs of communities.
Research, Evidence, and Innovation
From Feedback to Action — What Happens After Students Speak?
Exploring student access to research, mentorship, evidence generation, innovation, and knowledge dissemination. How institutions can transform student feedback into meaningful action, institutional accountability, and continuous improvement.
Leadership That Lasts
How Can Student-Led Work Survive Beyond Individual Leaders?
Exploring mentorship, succession planning, documentation, funding, and institutional support for sustainable student leadership. Highlighting partnerships that strengthen student initiatives and ensure continuity and long-term impact.
From Debate to Action
Throughout the Summit, participants will actively contribute through three central guiding questions, moving discussions from hearing challenges to real-world solutions:
What did you hear?
What should change?
What could we do?
Summit Agenda
A full day of student-led debates, oral abstract presentations, interactive World Cafés, collaborative ideathons, and action plan commitments.
| Time | Session & Focus | Summit Stage | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 – 10:00 |
Opening Panel — Why Student Voice MattersGlobal panel discussion with student representatives introducing the central theme and establishing how participants will contribute throughout the summit. |
Opening Plenary | Panel Debate |
| 10:00 – 10:30 |
Wellness Break & Networking
Informal networking and mental reset. |
||
| 10:30 – 11:15 |
Global Student Voice: What Are Students Telling Us?Student-led oral presentations from different global regions highlighting lived experiences, innovative projects, local health challenges, and lessons learned. |
Stage 1 · LISTEN | Oral Presentations |
| 11:15 – 12:00 |
Global Dialogue I — From Shared Challenges to Collective PrioritiesIdentify common challenges across diverse healthcare educational systems and select shared priorities to address collectively. |
Stage 2 · DIALOGUE | World Café |
| 12:00 – 13:00 |
Lunch & Community Exchange
Shared lunch and informal cross-regional networking. |
||
| 13:00 – 14:00 |
Global Dialogue II — Collaborative Ideathon: Priorities to ProposalsMove directly from problem analysis to generating practical, student-informed proposals in small groups. |
Stage 3 · CO-CREATE | Ideathon |
| 14:00 – 15:00 |
Global Dialogue III — Design Sprint: Turning Proposals into ActionTransform ideated solutions into feasible, sustainable proposals using the shared SNO Proposal Canvas. |
Stage 3 · CO-CREATE | Design Sprint Canvas |
| 15:00 – 15:30 |
Wellness Break & Afternoon Refreshments
Refreshments, guided breathing, and stretch. |
||
| 15:30 – 16:30 |
Global Dialogue IV — Experiential Session: Re-connection & Well-beingA welcoming, experiential space facilitated by an invited speaker to unwind, reconnect, reflect on mental health, and share collective community after a collaborative day. |
Experiential | Guided Session |
| 16:30 – 17:30 |
SNO Action Plan & Closing — From Dialogues to Global ActionPresentation of the proposals developed throughout the day, consolidation of student contributions into the official SNO Action Plan, and formal closing ceremony. |
Stage 4 · COMMIT | Closing Plenary |
Share Your Ideas, Experiences & Innovations
Whether you are a student conducting research, an educator developing innovative learning experiences, a health professional working to improve care, or a member of a community initiative creating local change — your voice belongs at this Summit.
Submission guidelines cover research findings, experience reports, extension projects, and innovative student solutions.
Help Students Share Their Work
Financial barriers should never prevent passionate students from sharing their research, lived experiences, and innovations. Support our fundraising efforts to sponsor student travel, participation scholarships, and accessibility for the Summit.
