Global Community Organizing and Advocacy for Climate and Health (Global COACH) Scholars
Applications for the 2026 cohort have now closed.
Course Overview
Increasingly, health professionals recognize that mitigating and responding to the impacts of climate change is critical to improving the health of their patients.
Health professionals have been shown to be among the most effective, trustworthy messengers for climate action. But to be effective agents of change they must be empowered with skills to gather and organize others, have an ability to work with communities, and possess a strong sense of self-efficacy and purpose. This course supports development of practices to implement climate solutions in the community you serve. This course will begin in March 2026 and has in-person and online components.
Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies
From March 28-April 3, 2026, the weeklong in-person immersion component of the program will take place in Nafplio, Greece, at the Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece (CHS Greece), Harvard’s global office in the country and a supporting institution of the program. Scholars will travel to Athens and participate in community building and social activities at the beginning of the immersion before traveling as a group by bus to the headquarters of CHS Greece in Nafplio where programming will occur for the remainder of the week. Scholars will travel back home on April 4.
After the in-person immersion concludes, there will be monthly Zoom two-hour sessions for six months until October 2026.
Philosophy
Our vision is to create a vibrant educational space and community to develop a global cadre of health professionals who are inspired and enabled to develop and advance climate solutions. The power to accomplish this will come from learning about the health equity implications of climate change and through developing durable community organizing and leadership practices. There will be focus on the responsibility we have to protect the health of children and future generations.
2026 Important Information at a Glance
Location: In-person immersion in Athens and Nafplio, Greece, from March 28, 2026 to April 3, 2026. All other sessions will be held monthly online on Zoom from May-October 2026. Attendance of all sessions, both in person and online on Zoom, is mandatory.
Applications Open: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Applications Close: Friday, September 12, 2025
Cost of Participation: No Tuition Fees. The organizers will arrange and cover round trip, economy class airfare to Greece, as well as accommodation, meals, and ground transportation during the in-person immersion week. It is the responsibility of each participant to obtain the necessary visas for travel, though the organizers can supply supporting documentation and reimburse costs, including long-distance travel to an embassy or consulate if required.
Logistics Onboarding: Accepted scholars will have an onboarding Zoom session with course administrators in September 2025. We will have strict dates by which participants will need to have their passport and visas processed. Details covering travel, lodging, logistics, and further programmatic details will be described in this required Zoom onboarding session.
For additional information on the program or application process, please email us at fxbcenter_info@hsph.harvard.edu.
Additional Information
FAQs
I’m a practicing health professional, am I going to be able to fit this program into my health professional work?
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Questions
For additional information on the program or application process, please email us at fxbcenter_info@hsph.harvard.edu.