This May 2025, the University of Houston Honors College is proud to launch a transformative study abroad opportunity — the Medicine & Society Program, in partnership with the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights. Hosted in the Eternal City of Rome, this unique, week-long program invites students to explore the ethical, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of medicine through a global lens.
Why This Program Matters
In an age of rapid scientific progress and global interconnection, the practice of medicine demands more than clinical skill — it calls for a deep understanding of the human condition. The Medicine & Society Program responds to this need by weaving together philosophy, neuroscience, bioethics, and art to foster an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach to healthcare.
Students will examine essential questions like:
Am I something or someone?
What makes a good doctor or caregiver?
Are we merely our brains?
What beauty will save the world?
These are not just academic inquiries — they are not the building blocks of a more human, reflective, and ethical approach to medicine.
A Classroom Without Walls
Structured over 5 immersive days (May 12–16, 2025), the program blends morning seminars with afternoon site-based learning, where Rome itself becomes the classroom. From exploring the Colosseum and Vatican Museums to reflecting on art and science at Church of St. Jerome of Charity and the rooms of St. Philip Neri and Academy of Sanitary Art History, students will encounter living history and enduring ideas at every turn.
Course Highlights Include:
Lectures by global experts in bioethics, neuroscience, and medical humanities
Collaborative seminars hosted at the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum
Cultural tours of iconic Roman landmarks and lesser-known spiritual sites
Daily dialogue on intercultural medicine, personhood, and human rights
Academic Credit & Future Pathways
This experience is anchored in the Honors College course HON3397H: Global Bioethics, offering academic credit and laying a foundation for further study, research, or careers in medicine, law, ethics, public health, and the humanities. Students will also be introduced to international graduate opportunities and research networks supported by the UNESCO Chair.
On May 23, 2025, Fr. Prof. Joseph Tham, Chair Fellow, will introduce 1) the topic of CRISPR during the 2025 Special Lecture of the Nicholas Cardinal Cheong Graduate School for Life, Catholic University of Korea; on May 25, 2025, he will present 2) “The Meaning of the Encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” in the History of Bioethics” during the 2025 International Conference of the Catholic Institute of Bioethics, University of Korea.
Topic: CRISPR and Genetically Modified Humans
This conference will first look at the advances of gene editing techniques especially that of the recent development of CRISPR. The technology has many applications in plants, animals and humans. The focus will be on how this breakthrough can now modify, enhance, and correct the human genome in different types of cells. We will look at how gene editing can be applied to somatic and germline cells, for the purpose of treatment or enhancement. Looking at the case of He Jinkuai, and the different statements from the American, British, and UN, we can project the future development of gene editing as GM humans become a real possibility.
The Meaning of the Encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” in the History of Bioethics
Thirty years ago, the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae was published. Other than a coherent and forceful defense of human life at its beginning and natural end, it coined the terminology of Culture of Life and Culture of Death. This presentation will look at some of the cultural changes in the last half century which can impact societal attitudes towards life issues. First, there is the phenomenon of the secularization in different ambits including bioethics. Second, there is a polarization and politization of these controversial issues. Third, we will delve into the change in the conception of selfhood according to Charles Taylor, which has corresponding influence on the concept of human dignity. The contrast between the essential and existential selves mark the divide between the traditional prolife stance and the liberal pro choice positions. The new development towards infanticide will be mentioned.
The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem ALSALEM, will present her report on surrogacy to the General Assembly at its 80th session in October 2025.
Responding to her call (see here), the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights sent in its contribution, addressing the issues of anonymity in relation to the best interests of the child. The authors* particularly emphasized the following points:
Anonymity concerning a child’s origins through surrogacy, with or without gamete(s) donation, undermines the principle of truth. It’s about hiding secrets and creating lies by falsifying objective scientific truths, through the legal system’s complicity.
Surrogacy is a form of exploitation and a crime of human trafficking as adopted by the European Council in April 2024. The anonymity does not serve the child’s best interests, particularly on three levels:
a) the construction of a the child’s personal identity rooted in his origins,
b) the child as a subject, not an object of a right, and
c) the right to health and information. For this, it is important to think about this child’s best interest before his conception and birth, not after.
The authors invite the Special Rapporteur to put the child’s best interest above the commissioning couple or person’s interests who recourse to surrogacy.
The authors :
Maroun BADR, PhD in Bioethics and Research Scholar
Fabiano NIGRIS, Pediatrician, neonatologist and PhD candidate in Bioethics
Alberto GARCÍA GÓMEZ, Doctor in Law, Chairholder of UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights and Dean of the Faculty of Bioethics – Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum (APRA)
Knowing digital soft skills, ethics and new technologies, and Generation Z to counter educational and digital poverty.
The IES Toolkit platform, a free and interactive space designed for the ’empowerment of educators trainers, social workers and students, is now online. Supporting them in designing and implementing innovative educational activities through free downloadable videos, The toolkit is divided into three macro areas: Ethics and New Technologies, Generation Z and Liquid Society, and Digital Soft Skills.
Educational and digital poverty are two interconnected phenomena that profoundly affect the well-being and development of individuals and communities. Through the IES project students and teachers can explore new ways of learning in order to promote inclusive and digital education adapted to the challenges of the 21st century. In particular, the proposal targets the marginal areas of Rome and Lazio with the aim of reducing the digital divide and improving access to education.
It is precisely in Rome and its province that in-presence workshops will be organized in technical and hotel schools during April and May to implement the second part of the project.
IES is a project promoted by CIMEA, which, in line with its institutional activities and within the collaboration with the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) and the Ministry of University and Research, launched a call for proposals to fund initiatives aimed at combating educational and digital poverty.
Check out the platform at www.ies-toolkit.it available now, and join the change-it’s free and available to everyone!
For more information: smontefusco@unescobiochair.org
In occasione della Giornata Mondiale dell’Educazione, celebrata il 24 gennaio, come membri della Rete delle Cattedre UNESCO, abbiamo partecipato all’Assemblea Generale ReCUI.
É stato un momento di confronto e dialogo che ha coinvolto le 44 Cattedre UNESCO italiane, ospitate presso il Rettorato dell’ Sapienza Università di Roma grazie al sostegno della Urban Health UNESCO Chair coordinata dal Prof. Andrea Lenzi.
Alla presenza della Prof.ssa Antonella Polimeni, Rettrice dell’Università Sapienza di Roma, Stefania Giannini, ADG per l’educazione UNESCO e Enrico Vicenti, Segretario Generale della Commissione Nazionale Italiana per l’ UNESCO, il Ministro dell’Università e della Ricerca Anna Maria Bernini, ha consegnato il Sigillo di Merito già conferito alla Rete delle Cattedre UNESCO – ReCUI.
