Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer joined the Peking University Institute for Global Health and Development in March 2025 as Co-Chair of the Governing Board and Distinguished Research Professor of Global Health.

From 2021 to 2025 he held the position of Global Health Envoy, German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to these assignments, Dr. Schwartländer had an esteemed career at the World Health Organization. He served as Assistant Director General and Chef de Cabinet at its headquarter, as well as WHO Representative in China. He is a medical doctor and holds a doctorate in medical epidemiology. He received his education and professional training in Germany and the US at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Previously, Dr. Schwartländer held senior international positions including Director Evidence, Policy, and Innovation at UNAIDS; Director Performance Evaluation and Policy at the Global Fund (GFATM); and Director of WHO’s HIV Department. In 2000, Dr. Schwartländer undertook a special assignment at the World Bank to perform economic analyses on the cost and impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Before joining the United Nations, Dr. Schwartländer was the Director of the National AIDS Program in Germany and the Director of the Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Robert Koch-Institute in Berlin.

Dr. Schwartländer has published widely in scientific journals and books and taught applied epidemiology and health diplomacy.

Dr. Schwartländer's extensive career is marked by his commitment to advancing global health initiatives and his ability to navigate complex international health challenges. He is passionate about global health and believes in the power of collaborative efforts to tackle the health challenges of our times.