WPP and LSHTM collaborate on tackling global health challenges

WPP’s health practice and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have agreed to share their knowledge and expertise to develop initiatives to transform health programmes and improve global health. In addition, the partnership will develop a communications skills training programme for MSc and doctoral students, and an innovation event series to stimulate new ideas, systems and tools to change the current way of thinking.
Claire Gillis, international head of WPP’s health practice, said: “The collaboration strengthens our understanding of disease and populations and gives LSHTM access to extraordinary creative talent to shape evidence-based communications that address global health needs.”
LSHTM’s head of communications and engagement, Katie Steels, said: “In academia the goal is often to publish your research in a prestigious journal, and then you move on to the next piece of research and repeat. But if we want our research to have real-world impact we need to translate those findings for different audiences and work to ensure that they become policy and practice. Partnering with WPP Health Practice will give our academics access to the world’s largest group of health communications experts, who can show us how to use creativity and technology to do that translation piece.”
Professor Peter Piot, LSHTM director, said: “The combination of effective communications and a deep understanding of health, policy and science is fundamental to improving health worldwide. Mixing our research and academic leadership in health with the communications expertise within WPP Health Practice will add value to the work we do.”