WHO and Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore Forge Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Global Health Emergency Preparedness

Geneva, 26 May 2025 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health have launched a two-year strategic collaboration to advance global health emergency preparedness through cutting-edge research, targeted capacity building, and dynamic knowledge sharing.

This partnership places a strong focus on generating practical evidence, building national capacities, and advancing the use of the WHO Benchmarks for Strengthening Health Emergency Capacities as a foundational framework for countries.

“This partnership is a major step forward in bridging research and policy,” said Dr. Nirmal Kandel, Head of the Risk Analytics and Action Reviews Unit at WHO. “By working together, we aim to generate real-time evidence and practical solutions that help countries prepare, respond, and recover more effectively.”

The collaboration will establish a global academic network —with ACHS hosting the secretariat—to support operational and implementation research aligned with WHO and Member State priorities, with a particular focus on countries in the Global South.

Other key areas of collaboration include:

Operational research projects focusing on the impact, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness of health emergency preparedness.
Support for WHO capacity building activities and training programmes, including on normative instruments and benchmarks in real-world settings.
Transformation of the WHO Benchmark Reference Library into an open-access knowledge management platform, featuring case studies, tools, and curated learning materials.
Holding events to disseminate knowledge and evidence-based practices, such as webinars and regional symposia, connecting academic researchers, policy experts, and health professionals.

Running from 15 May 2025 to 14 May 2027, the partnership brings together WHO’s technical leadership, convening role and global mandate with NUS’s academic expertise and regional influence. The collaboration reflects a growing recognition of the need to align evidence, policy, and action to build resilient health systems and ensure that countries are ready for the next emergency.

“This partnership goes beyond research towards creating a platform to translate knowledge into action,” said Professor Hsu Li Yang, Director of ACHS. “Together with WHO and, in future, other like-minded academic institutions, we aim to empower countries with the tools and evidence they need to make timely, informed decisions and policies that protect lives and create a safer world.”