- We’re currently developing a national Planetary Health Curriculum for Health Students. It will be published here in spring/summer 2026. In case you have questions or would like to contribute, please get in touch!
Check your Curriculum
Switzerland’s Planetary Health Report Card
The 2025 edition of the Planetary Health Report Card Medicine - PHRC highlights Switzerland’s growing commitment to integrating Planetary Health into medical education. This student-led initiative evaluates health care schools worldwide on their efforts to prepare future health professionals for the environmental challenges impacting human health.
The results show steady progress, particularly in curriculum development and student-led initiatives. Several institutions have introduced new teaching modules on climate-related health risks, sustainable healthcare practices, and environmental determinants of health.
While the 2025 results reflect positive momentum, there is still room for growth, especially in interdisciplinary collaboration and institutional support.
Check the status of your curriculum
Has your institution completed the Planetary Health Report Card?
The report card is available for various health study programs, such as nursing, medicine, pharmacy and physiotherapy.
E-Learning
- We’re currently developing a national E-Learning on Planetary Health, accessible for all health students, teachers, professionals & individuals. It will be published here in 2027.In the meantime you can have a look at existing E-Learnings from Switzerland and abroad in our useful resources.
Transformative Education
What is transformative education?
Transformative education is an educational approach that challenges assumptions, fosters reflection, and empowers students to act as change agents. Through experiences such as engaging with local as well as vulnerable communities or structured reflection, students gain new values, confidence, and responsibility for health at individual, institutional, and societal levels (1-2).
Read more about the relevance of transformative education, the three levels of change and teaching examples below.
Merzel CR. Pedagogy for Transformative Teaching and Learning. Pedagogy in Health Promotion. 2023;9(4):231-233. doi:10.1177/23733799231208392
Van Schalkwyk, S. C., Hafler, J., Brewer, T. F., Maley, M. A., Margolis, C., McNamee, L., Meyer, I., Peluso, M. J., Schmutz, A. M., Spak, J. M., Davies, D., & the Bellagio Global Health Education Initiative. (2019). Transformative learning as pedagogy for the health professions: A scoping review. Medical Education, 53(6), 547–558. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13804
Background: Why is transformative education important for Planetary Health?
Planetary Health education equips current and future health professionals with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to respond to the interconnected socio-ecological crises. Education plays a pivotal role in ensuring that health professionals not only understand the ecological determinants of health but are also empowered to act as advocates for sustainable, equitable, and resilient health systems (3).
Thus, transformative education is central to Planetary Health. It is more than the transmission of knowledge and forms an intentional, conscious process that engages both the cognitive and affective domains. Learners are encouraged to critically examine their prior assumptions, worldviews, and biases, allowing them to develop new interpretations of health, society, and the environment. This form of learning acknowledges the complexity and uncertainty of the world and invites students to question established frames of reference (1-3).
Merzel CR. Pedagogy for Transformative Teaching and Learning. Pedagogy in Health Promotion. 2023;9(4):231-233. doi:10.1177/23733799231208392
Van Schalkwyk, S. C., Hafler, J., Brewer, T. F., Maley, M. A., Margolis, C., McNamee, L., Meyer, I., Peluso, M. J., Schmutz, A. M., Spak, J. M., Davies, D., & the Bellagio Global Health Education Initiative. (2019). Transformative learning as pedagogy for the health professions: A scoping review. Medical Education, 53(6), 547–558. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.13804
Howard, C., Marks, R. (2024). Roadmap for Planetary Health and Sustainable Health Systems. AFMC
Three levels of change
Transformative education links individual, institutional, and political levels of change
- At the micro level, it enables behavioural change in one-to-one patient care, where professionals can counsel on co-benefits of sustainable choices (e.g., active transport, plant-rich diets).
- At the meso level, it shapes institutional practices and professional associations, embedding sustainability into health curricula and organizational strategies (e.g., PROFILES catalogue for medical education).
- At the macro level, it empowers health professionals to engage in public and political discourse, advocating for climate-resilient health systems and supporting initiatives like Health for Future (H4F).
Links
Useful Resources
