BREATH · BRinging hEAlTH and social sciences to a new level through an interdisciplinary doctoral programme

It is widely recognised that non-medical determinants of health play a major role in health. Many of these determinants fall within the scope of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). World Health Organisation estimates that Social determinants of health (housing and working conditions, social inequalities, education, etc.) account for between 30-55% of health outcomes. Today, there are urgent needs of profiles capable of understanding the issues in their entirety rather than through a strictly health or social point of view. BREATH program will fill that gap by training excellent researchers. BREATH aims to be the next interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Health and SSH, offering 20 doctoral positions for 3 years each at one of the 3 Pays-de-la-Loire Universities in France, led by distinguished supervisors. Through an open and merit-based recruitment procedure, it will provide excellent opportunities for international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary research and training under attractive working conditions. BREATH is coordinated by the University of Angers, with the Universities of Nantes and Le Mans as implementing partners. The 3 public universities have long-standing habits of strong collaboration in doctoral studies, already managed jointly by the Doctoral College, with 83 research groups including 49 in Health and SSH. BREATH will also rely on a 27 associated partners network that will strongly enhance the opportunities of the Doctoral Candidates (DCs). DCs will come closer to the private sector by collaborating with medical and healthcare organisations during secondments or special events. Beyond training through their own research, they will benefit from training courses in research techniques, complementary workshops for transferable skills, scientific meetings and conferences and the access to international scientific networks, with the final aim to promote knowledge exchange and mobility among academic and non academic partners.