DLSPH Prof receives 2026 Global Educator Award, celebrated for diverse and inclusive pedagogy
March 27/2026
DLSPH Associate Prof. Erica Di Ruggiero was recently recognized with the University of Toronto’s 2026 Global Educator Award.
By Bonnie O’Sullivan
Each year, the university recognizes one faculty member who embodies U of T’s global mission by promoting intercultural interactions and inclusivity in the classroom.
Di Ruggiero’s colleagues and students celebrate her for cultivating diversity in the classroom through pedagogical structures that engage students with each other’s unique experiences, offer opportunities to question their own assumptions, and inspire students to bridge local and global health contexts.
Erica Di Ruggiero
“I am deeply grateful and encouraged by this recognition as the 2026 Global Educator,” says Di Ruggiero. “I aim to promote global perspectives in both my pedagogy and mentorship with an aim to always learn with and from my students and colleagues. This recognition reinforces that the work I do in and out of the classroom is in alignment with U of T’s global mission.”
Di Ruggiero led the development of DLSPH’s Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program, the first professional program of its kind in Canada. This program – which celebrated its first graduating student in fall 2025 – was designed to engage a highly diverse student body, including international learners and Mastercard Foundation scholars from Sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to her work developing the DrPH program, Di Ruggiero created and co-leads the graduate course Global Health Policy where she integrates critical political economy approaches, decolonizing global health frameworks, global health policy case studies, and real-world assignments.
In all her interactions, Di Ruggiero intentionally creates conditions where students learn from each other and bridge knowledge. Her inclusive classrooms offer varied participation opportunities that fit unique learners such as small groups, asynchronous dialogue and reflective learning. She encourages students to draw on their unique knowledge and experiences, is transparent in her assignment criteria, provides personalised feedback and models respectful engagement. “I take my role as an educator of future leaders very seriously. Maintaining a learning environment that welcomes students of diverse cultures and perspectives is important because they will be making the public health decisions for tomorrow, and those choices will have global outcomes on health and equity.”
Di Ruggiero’s work in global education extends beyond her formal graduate level courses. She is Co-Director of DLSPH’s Executive Course in Global Health Diplomacy, training professionals from across the globe in negotiation, communication and policy analysis. She is also a co-convener of the Women in Global Health Leadership Program with colleagues at schools of public health at the University of Cape Town and Moi University in Kenya. She is also Director of the Collaborative Specialization in Global Health. Finally, Di Ruggiero is highly regarded for her steadfast mentorship of many students and early-career researchers.
“Erica has demonstrated an impressive range of global engagement and intercultural excellence in her pedagogy,” says Prof. Mariana Mota Prado, Associate Vice-president and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience. “The strength of her program leadership, her ability to build institutional and international spaces for global learning, and her demonstrated mentorship and impact, truly exemplify what it means to be a global educator at U of T.”