Department of Population and Public Health Sciences

Principles of Local and Global Engagement

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About the Principles

The Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, together with the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, has developed and adopted these Principles of Local and Global Engagement to guide all aspects of our work. These principles draw on a review of similar initiatives and guidance from many of our partners, and recognize our responsibility to operate ethically within these partnerships.

These principles align with international human rights norms, with a view to recognizing respect for human rights as central to engagement. They form the backbone of how we seek to work with partners in all geographic regions of the world, from the local to the global, and are intended to provide actionable guidance applicable to research, education, and community programs.

Read the Report and Principles

The report describes in detail the purpose, scope and application, the process for development of these principles, and a detailed rationale and additional contextual remarks for each principle.

Full Report

Process for Development of Principles

A review was conducted of similar initiatives from other academic institutions to inform both the process for development and the content of principles. A drafting committee was formed of five faculty members experienced in global and local community health. Based on findings from the review, proposed categories were discussed and agreed upon by the committee. Detailed content for each principle was then drafted and refined through an iterative process based on substantive discussion, inputs, and agreement. A complete draft was then circulated to Department leadership, and then to external partners for review and feedback. Based on this input, the final draft was then reviewed, agreed to, and signed off by Department leadership, and the full department faculty.