Systems thinking and place-based methods for healthier Malaysian cities (SCHEMA) is a joint project between the Sustainable Places Research Institute and the International Institute for Global Health, funded by Newton-Ungku Omar Fund.

Cities are now the dominant human habitat, with more influence than ever on economies, environments and health. Despite progress, intractable urban health problems persist, often the unintended consequences of decisions in other sectors. These problems carry substantial costs and are unevenly distributed. Unraveling urban complexity requires systems approaches grounded in a social-ecological understanding of health. In illuminating linkages between health and physical and social environments, such work can lead to healthier, greener, more equitable cities.

This project is funded by Newton-Ungku Omar Fund and joins partners with expertise in systems and place-based methods, urban planning and public health to examine urban health in Malaysia. It will apply such methods to catalyze and inform urban decision-making for local health and environment goals, while developing local research capacity. In particular, this project will explore how health links with green infrastructure and urban food in the Malaysian context. It will create new knowledge, facilitate the implementation of place-based systems approaches, and so lead to better planning decisions and health outcomes in future.

The project includes two workshops in 2017. The first 'Promoting health through green infrastructure: a Malaysia-UK workshop', ran from 10 to 12 January in Kuching, Malaysia. A second workshop on food systems and health is planned for late 2017.

Newton-Ungku Omar Fund

On 5 December 2013 the UK Chancellor announced the creation of an Emerging Powers Research and Innovation Fund of £375 million over 5 years to support science and innovation partnerships with emerging powers. The Fund forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment and its primary focus is to develop partner countries research.

United Nations University - International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH)

The United Nations University (UNU) is an international community of scholars, engaged in research, postgraduate teaching and capacity development and dissemination of knowledge in furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The mission of UNU is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.

The UNU-IIGH undertakes research, teaching and capacity development and dissemination of knowledge related to key issues of human health. The aim is to contribute to the development and strengthening of health services policy frameworks and management actions, particularly for people in developing countries, and to support implementation of promotive and preventive approaches to human health. You can find out more information on the UNU-IIGH website.

Project Team

Sustainable Places Research Institute

United Nations University - International Institute for Global Health

Associated partners

• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Institut Alam Sekitar and Pembangunan (UKM-LESTARI), Malaysia
• Penang Institute, Malaysia
• ARK22 Austrian Urban Environmental Group Sdn. Bhd. Malaysia, supported by the Austrian Institute of Technology, Malaysia