Identifying the relationship between higher education for public health and the field of practice

A rational approach to the future of higher education for public health calls for answers to a series of questions. These include: do these diverse auspices represent important differences in the nature and quality of their educational programs?; do they differ in cost?; in effectiveness?; is the competition between these programs real?; is it helpful?; is more diversity needed, or less? The obvious importance of studying such questions has, thus far, had little recognition by the educational establishments themselves. Hence the few studies and reports now under way should be welcomed, as the early harbingers of much more that needs to be done. Policy in this field of education is being made daily by interested parties with deeply held views, commitments, and biases. Much, much more by way of facts and analyses stemming from objective studies (of which the two reports in this issue are an example) are needed to provide a sounder factual base than we now have for policy judgements and the policy development for the future.