Mission statement of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

The mission statement of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences consists of a general section applying to all disciplines taught at the Faculty as well as of seven specific sections pertaining to each of them.

General section

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences joins the “Mission of Ghent University” and desires to participate in the development of education, scientific research and social service in the area of “health and wellbeing”, on both an individual and a social level.

The Faculty intends to turn its students into experts in maintaining, improving and restoring health by allowing them to develop the necessary knowledge, capacities and attitudes. The Faculty continues to support the further specialisation and ongoing education of its experts.

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences currently consists of seven disciplines. These are medicine, dentistry, biomedical sciences, physical education, rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy, medical-social sciences and logopaedics / audiology. Since the Faculty wishes to be more than a mere collection of these seven disciplines, its intention is to promote an interdisciplinary approach towards “health and wellbeing” by developing optimal co-operation between its disciplines in the fields of education, research and services. The Faculty also aims at extensive co-operation with similar disciplines that are being taught by high schools of the Association of Ghent University.

Through its educational, scientific and social undertakings the Faculty is intimately connected with the University Hospital. Because of their very similar missions, tasks and interests, the Faculty aims at optimally tuning the policy of both institutions.

By supporting high-level fundamental and applied scientific research the Faculty wishes to participate in finding solutions to clinical and social problems in the health sector. To this effect it offers both the necessary logistic means and a stimulating intellectual environment to its researchers, aims at the development and completion of high-quality projects and stimulates national and international cooperation.

The Faculty wishes to provide solutions to health-related needs, in particular those of socially weaker groups both in Belgium and in the third world. It therefore believes in sharing its knowledge regarding education, scientific research and health policies with local, regional, federal and international counselling bodies, aims at representation on important advisory boards and assists in the development and implementation of scientifically substantiated policies.

In order to fulfil this mission the Faculty requires outstanding personnel who excel not only in the areas of education, research and practice but also in their integrity and commitment.