Key points
- World Health Organization brings together over 800 collaborating centres from 80+ countries
- Scientists highlight emerging global health threats and funding challenges
- New initiatives target pandemic preparedness, including research on “Disease X”
Main story
The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened its first-ever Global Forum of Collaborating Centres, bringing together representatives from more than 800 institutions across over 80 countries in a landmark effort to deepen scientific cooperation and address emerging global health threats.
The forum, described as one of the largest and most diverse public health networks globally, provided a platform for scientists and researchers to assess pressing health challenges in an increasingly fragmented world. Participants underscored the urgency of coordinated action while identifying new opportunities to strengthen global health systems through collaboration.
The meeting concluded on Thursday with renewed commitment among stakeholders to move beyond traditional, rigid scientific frameworks towards more dynamic and integrated partnerships capable of delivering timely and impactful health solutions.
The WHO Collaborating Centres network, rooted in the organisation’s constitutional mandate, has played a critical role in advancing global health research since 1949, when the Second World Health Assembly endorsed a model focused on coordinating and leveraging existing institutions rather than building new ones.
Over the past 77 years, the network has grown to include leading academic, research, and technical institutions worldwide, contributing to global standards, innovation, and capacity building aimed at translating scientific knowledge into life-saving interventions.
The issues
Despite its scale and influence, WHO acknowledged that the collaborating centres network remains under-utilised, even as the world faces complex health threats, rising fragmentation, and declining global health financing.
Experts at the forum stressed that insufficient coordination and investment could weaken global preparedness, increasing the risk of local outbreaks escalating into international crises.
What’s being said
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the network as a “powerful demonstration of international cooperation,” noting its potential to translate scientific evidence into action that strengthens health systems and protects populations.
WHO Chief Scientist, Sylvie Briand, emphasised that scientific collaboration remains indispensable in addressing global health challenges, describing the network as “an extraordinary concentration of expertise and leadership.”
What’s next
WHO is expanding its global network through the creation of Collaborative Open Research Consortia (CORC), designed to unite thousands of scientists in accelerating the development of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments—particularly in preparation for “Disease X,” a potential unknown pathogen that could trigger the next pandemic.
The organisation also confirmed that the next Global Forum of Collaborating Centres will be held in 2027 to sustain momentum and deepen partnerships.
Bottom line
The inaugural WHO Global Forum marks a significant step towards strengthening international scientific cooperation, positioning the global health community to better respond to emerging threats through unified action, innovation, and shared expertise.
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