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Systems approach of URban enviRonmEnts and heALth

Project description

Unravelling the complexity of urban health

Population growth, energy use, mobility and urbanisation are all factors that impact health and mortality rates. Moreover, studies show that health deterioration is affected by socio-economic status, gender, age and ethnicity and that cities represent places where health issues abound. However, in cities there are more opportunities for structural transformations in lifestyle and health status. The EU-funded SURREAL project will deliver a unique, creative and single training network for 15 early-stage researchers to co-create an understanding of the urban health system's complexity and co-design and apply adequate interventions in the system. The project will draw upon interactions between academic disciplines such as epidemiology and public health and a wide range of entities such as medical centres, public authorities and NGOs.

Objective

Worldwide, the health status of people is increasingly put under pressure by demographic growth, primary energy uses, mobility and urbanization. Every year in EU countries on average more than 1.2 million people die prematurely. However, large disparities in life expectancy in terms of socio-economic status, gender, age and ethnicity exist. Especially, cities are creating the conditions for health problems, such as sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, air and other pollutions and stress. On the other hand, cities also offer opportunities for structural and long-lasting healthy transformations in lifestyles and health status. However, the big question is how to achieve these transformations in a situation where complexity of urban health problems is increasing, involving many actors.

Increasingly, it is recognized that disciplinary and sectoral approaches no longer suffice but that an integrated, holistic approach toward the physical, social and institutional factors that shape urban health and health inequalities is necessary. In such a systems approach in research and policies on urban health, health is no longer emerging from isolated causal effects only but in addition from the (non)linear positive and negative feedback loops between the various features of a system over time.

Based on a systems approach and new alliances across academic disciplines (epidemiology, public health, movement science, psychology, geography, sociology) and sectors (citizens, entrepreneurs, medical centers, public authorities, NGOs) SURREAL offers a unique, creative and single training network for 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) to co-create joint understandings of the complex urban health system and to co-design and implement effective interventions in the system. Equipped with this expertise and supported by innovative training formats, such as Collaborative Learning in Practice, SURREAL trains the next generation of professionals in urban health.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020

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Coordinator

LISER - LUXEMBOURG INSTITUTE OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESEARCH
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 512 640,00
Address
11 PORTE DES SCIENCES CAMPUS BLEVAL
4366 Esch Sur Alzette
Luxembourg

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Region
Luxembourg Luxembourg Luxembourg
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 512 640,00

Participants (10)

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