USF's Colleges of Public Health and Medicine, through the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, have been working collaboratively since 1999 to establish educational programs in India for patient health care, staff training, and medical research.

 Background and Significance

India is the second most populous country in the world. HIV infection is one of the gravest public health problems India has faced since its independence, reporting the second highest estimated number of HIV infected individuals after South Africa. India has reported an overall prevalence rate of 5 percent among people practicing high-risk behavior(s) with an estimated total of 4.0 million HIV infections.

 Mission

CHART's mission is to expand excellence in public health, biomedical research and behavioral training programs in order to enhance health promotion and disease prevention in India.

 Vision

Our vision is to create a collaborative effort between the US and India in which a free exchange of ideas and education occurs, and where both countries benefit from the unique resources and opportunities each has to offer in preventing the further spread of diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

 Values

The CHART-India Center takes great pride in quality education and in providing the highest level of health care available. We are committed to providing diverse learning opportunities through advanced methods and technologies. Our multidisciplinary approach is successful due to the cooperation between our international faculty and diverse student body.

 Objectives

·    Provide critical public health and behavioral science research expertise to Indian trainees at the University of South Florida.

·    Provide academic training in prevention research, possibility leading to advanced degrees.

·    Establish and maintain long-term, collaborative relationships between investigators at USF and India in various health intervention and research endeavors.