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The Centre for Sustainable Medicine (CoSM) at NUS Medicine has launched the world’s first graduate programmes in sustainable healthcare  — a Master of Science in Sustainable Healthcare and an Executive Fellowship in Sustainable Healthcare. These programmes aim to equip healthcare professionals with the skills to address the sector’s environmental impact while safeguarding patient health in a changing climate.

The announcement was made at the Singapore Pavilion of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Students will learn from world-renowned faculty at CoSM and collaborate with experts from the World Health Organization, Médecins Sans Frontières, and The Lancet. The programmes also features a first-of-its-kind knowledge exchange programme, where students will connect with a network of clinical fellows from Singapore, the UK, and the US, learning best practices and receiving mentorship on how to decarbonise the healthcare industry.

Why this now? The healthcare sector is responsible for over 10% of the global economy and generating significant greenhouse gas emissions. Our hospitals and clinics need skilled professionals to drive the transformation to sustainable healthcare practices.

In fact, CoSM’s recent study found that 82% of clinicians in Singapore support actions to address climate change in healthcare, and 90% want Singapore to lead net-zero healthcare initiatives.

This means the need for sustainability leaders is greater than ever. Graduates of these programmes will be uniquely positioned to lead the transition to more sustainable healthcare systems.

“The future of healthcare and medicine lies in the fine balance between two critical factors,” said Professor Nick Watts, Director of CoSM at NUS Medicine.

“First, we have to ensure patients are protected from the devastating impacts of climate change. At the same time, health systems need to be transformed to deliver care in a more sustainable way, from the surgeon’s reprocessed scalpel to the general practitioner’s online clinic. With the healthcare sector responsible for over 10% of the international economy, changes made at home have far- reaching impacts that scale to make a global difference. Our education programmes will nurture a generation of sustainability leaders in healthcare who are equipped and ready to pioneer this transition into a low-carbon future.”

Applications are now open for both the Master’s and Executive Fellowship programmes at the Centre for Sustainable Medicine, NUS Medicine, with the inaugural intake beginning in August 2025. Learn more about the programmes and start your application today: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/cosm/education/