Frequently asked questions of the Public Health Summer School

Who is the Public Health Summer School for?

These short courses are ideally suited for those working in:

• Hospital, primary and community health services
• Government departments
• Local authorities
• Non-governmental organisations
• Research

Or also for:

• Anyone who requires an understanding of public health concepts in their work
• Anyone considering postgraduate studies in the public health area

What do Public Health Summer School courses cost?

Most in-person courses cost $375 early bird, $500 after Thursday, 19 December 2024, per day.

Most online courses cost $225 early bird, $300 after Thursday, 19 December 2024, per day.

A 50 per cent discount is also available to full-time students, those unwaged and University of Otago staff.

There are a limited number of Māori/Pacific scholarships available.

Are any courses available online?

Yes, there are eight online courses in our 2025 programme. All other courses are held in person in Wellington. Please check the website page for each course.

Can I Zoom into an in-person course?

No. We have found in the past that it is not as good an experience for participants or for those presenting, when a course is run in person and online at the same time.

What are the payment options?

If you are a staff member of the University of Otago:

University of Otago staff must use “University Account Code” as their payment option, unless payment is from a personal fund.

If you are not University of Otago staff:

The preferred method of payment is credit card. Invoice is available on request.

• Credit card – this is the easiest and fastest way to pay, and you get your registration confirmation/tax invoice/receipt in minutes.
• Invoice – select this option if you wish to pay by internet banking. Your registration invoice will be sent to the email address provided. All invoice payments must be received prior to the course start date.
• If you choose the “Invoice" payment option, you will be asked to provide your billing information such as organisation name (legal entity), address and phone number. At this point you can also indicate a purchase order number and/or a person to attention the invoice to. If neither of these are required please tick N/A. Any additional information relating to the payment can be submitted in the “comments” box.

What is the daily schedule?

All courses begin at 9:00am and finish no later than 5:00pm. There is up to an hour for lunch and short breaks during the morning and afternoon. There are two courses which are half-day duration (Introduction to the New Zealand Health system, and Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal).

Is lunch provided?

Lunch, morning and afternoon tea is provided for all full-day, in-person courses. All food is vegetarian (as part of the Department of Public Health's commitment to promoting health and sustainability).

How do I register?

To register for a course please use this button Register now