Health economics is becoming increasingly important as healthcare expenses rise and limited resources need to be allocated efficiently. As the healthcare sector becomes increasingly complex, it is important to communicate the economics of healthcare and health insurance to policy makers, providers and patients. The ability to causally identify and understand the economics of various health policy measures and interventions is a prerequisite for efficient and fair use of resources. It is even more important to teach principles of health economics to support informed decision-making that leads to better outcomes and sustainable healthcare.

Despite an increasing need for health economists in medical facilities, the pharmaceutical sector, associations and public administration, there are few training opportunities in Switzerland. This is partly due to the interdisciplinary nature of health economics, which makes it difficult to integrate into the traditional faculties of Business and Economics. We therefore propose a new interdisciplinary master's degree program that is accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds, including those with training in the natural sciences or medicine. The curriculum will not only familiarize students with the latest developments in health economics, but also provide them with the basic health economics skills and competencies needed in the job market.