About Us

Dedication to knowledge creation and teaching, with an unrivaled commitment to service at a local, national, and global level, and the translation of science for impact.

To fulfill its broad mission, the School has the following primary goals:

• To provide first-rate educational programs that enable a diverse student body to become leaders in the field of public health as practitioners, researchers, and educators working to implement sustainable solutions to public health challenges.
• To conduct the highest quality research of key public health issues confronting individuals and populations, and to inform and influence policy debates and decision making on these issues.
• To collaborate in culturally sensitive ways with local groups, health providers, and health agencies as they create programs that respond to the needs of communities.

Statement of Values

As scholars, staff, students, and alumni, we are committed to principles of social justice and to the promotion of health as a fundamental right of every human being. We aspire to alleviate human suffering and improve the health of all populations, especially the most vulnerable, through research, service, communication, and informed advocacy.

We are committed to promoting multidisciplinary approaches to public health problems, collaborating with schools across Columbia University, as well as public and private institutions worldwide. We actively pursue diversity in our faculty, staff, and student body.

• We value academic excellence, innovation, and practical training in our teaching programs for public health professionals and researchers. We respect divergent views, open inquiry, and professional integrity. We aim to train, support, and inspire our students, so that they become agents of positive change upon graduation from the Mailman School.
• We value scientifically rigorous and ethical research that addresses core and emerging public health challenges. Central to our research agenda are the broader social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental determinants of health, both locally and globally, especially those that affect vulnerable populations.
• We value thoughtful, evidenced-based programs in our School’s neighborhood and in our local, national, and global communities. We actively seek to improve public health through the formation of creative and equal partnerships with community organizations and community-based service providers.