The International Health Unit (USI) was founded in 1989 by Dr. Pierre Fournier, first Dean of the University of Montreal’s School of Public Health (ESPUM), to contribute to the improvement of worldwide health.

The International Visual Health Unit (USVI) was created in 2017 by Dr. Marie-Josée Aubin as an interdisciplinary unit that aims to reduce blindness and visual impairment, and improve global eye health.