WHO and University of Leeds Strengthen Collaboration to enhance health emergency preparedness

Geneva, 5 August 2025 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the University of Leeds announced the renewal of their collaboration under a new Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA), effective from 24 July 2025 to 23 July 2027. Building on their successful four-year partnership, the expanded collaboration will further advance health emergency preparedness through joint initiatives in preparedness economics, health emergency impact analysis, and operational research.

Since 2021, the partnership between WHO and the University of Leeds has delivered transformative results. The University of Leeds has made significant contributions to WHO’s Health Systems for Health Security (HSforHS) framework, including technical inputs to the development, launch and operationalization of the framework, as well as significant contribution to the development of the HSforHS online course. The University has also contributed to preparedness economics and the development of WHO Dynamic Preparedness Metric.

Dr. Nirmal Kandel, Head of Risk Analytics and Action Reviews Unit of WHO’s Health Emergency Preparedness Department, stated: “By harnessing the expertise of leading universities and strategic partners, we are turning knowledge into action. Our ongoing partnership with the University of Leeds exemplifies our united vision to transform global health security and build a safer, healthier future for all."

Professor Garrett W. Brown, Chair of Global Health Policy at the University of Leeds, added: “The University of Leeds is proud to strengthen its partnership with WHO. This collaboration will not only enhance health emergency preparedness but will also foster the development of new tools and technologies that will improve health outcomes worldwide. We look forward to continuing our work together to make a real difference in global health security.”

The renewed collaboration is expected to strengthen existing areas of joint work and new areas of focus including:

• Evidence generation for the WHO Benchmarks for Strengthening Health Emergency Capacities (WHO Benchmarks Tool), including the development of rapid review projects on benchmarks, and graduate research projects from the University of Leeds’ digital MSc in Global Health.
• Both quantitative and qualitative analyses to understand and improve the effectiveness of health emergency responses, while introducing the use of frontier technology in advancing analytics.
• Analysis of economic returns on investment in health emergency preparedness, highlighting the financial impact of strengthening health systems against future pandemics.
• Knowledge dissemination and advocacy through jointly organized webinars.
• Engagement of graduate researchers in operational and implementation research projects to address health security challenges and equip the next generation of professionals with the skills needed to tackle health emergencies.

Through the expansion of this long-standing partnership, WHO and the University of Leeds will continue to provide essential tools, research, and training, helping countries better prepare for future health emergencies and ensuring that WHO’s efforts in health emergency preparedness are grounded in the latest evidence and innovations.