From Campus to the Cabinet Table

Real-life policy experience in MCI’s health management master's programs

How do future health leaders learn to operate in real policy environments? How do they not only learn to analyze problems, but to propose solutions that are ready for implementation? In the Real Life Simulation (RLS) course, a 10-ECTS core element of the MCI master’s programs in International Health & Social Management and European Health & Social Management, students move far beyond traditional coursework and step directly into the world of applied health policy.

RLS is designed as an immersive, experiential learning format that connects theoretical foundations in health economics, management, and public health with empirical analysis and professional practice. In the most recent edition, students worked on community-based approaches for health promotion and the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with a strong emphasis on systems thinking and evidence-based decision-making.

The course began with a kick-off session involving Michael Kraler and Lukas Rainer, both senior representatives of the health administration at the Regional Government of the Land Tirol. Students were introduced to current strategic priorities in health promotion and prevention and gained first-hand insight into how policy makers frame problems, balance feasibility and political realities, and translate evidence into action.

A particular focus was placed on newly established primary health care centers, which are envisioned as community-oriented hubs combining treatment, prevention, and health promotion. A future element of Tirol’s health care system that offers fertile ground for innovative policy thinking.

Over the semester, student teams worked intensively in workshops, simulations, and coached group work. They developed concrete policy proposals, conducted stakeholder analyses, assessed feasibility, and refined their recommendations with a constant eye on real-world implementation rather than academic abstraction.

The course culminated in a professional policy dialogue rather than a conventional exam. Each team delivered a five-minute pitch to the Minister of Health of Tirol and her senior policy team, followed by Q&As from the minister. In this setting, students were not examined, they were treated as policy interlocutors. They were expected to argue concisely, respond to critical questions, and demonstrate political awareness, professional demeanor, and confidence in their expertise.

This final presentation brought a unique level of exposure. Presenting to Tyrolean Health and Science Councilor Cornelia Hagele and her team meant engaging directly with decision-makers who shape regional health policy. For many students, this was their first experience of interacting at ministerial level, an opportunity to test themselves in a high-stakes, real-world environment and to understand what it means to deliver results that are credible, actionable, and ready for implementation.

Real Life Simulation exemplifies what distinguishes the MCI’s health management master’s programs: learning that is academically rigorous, professionally grounded, and deeply connected to real policy challenges. By the end of the course, students do not only leave with stronger analytical skills. They leave with confidence, practical experience, and a clear sense of how their expertise can contribute to public decision-making.

These master’s programs prepare graduates not just to understand health systems, but to shape them.