Strengthening Public Health Education Together

The world faces a severe and growing shortage of public health professionals, an estimated 10 million by the year 2030, with the greatest burden falling on low and lower-middle-income countries. This critical gap weakens our ability to respond to emergencies such as pandemics, climate-related health crises, and chronic disease. It undermines long-term efforts to improve global wellbeing. Strengthening public health education is no longer an option: it is a necessity.

In response to this global challenge, the International Council for Accreditation and Advancement of Public Health Education (ICAPHE) is launching a renewed, multifaceted initiative to build capacity, share good practice, foster collaboration, and drive innovation across public health education and training systems worldwide. Grounded in international standards and informed by current research, this initiative offers practical pathways to strengthen education and support the evolving needs of our global workforce.

Why Now?

The World Health Organization has called for both the creation of new public health institutions and the enhancement of existing ones through strengthened faculty development, modernised curricula, integration of technology, and mechanisms such as accreditation and regulation. These efforts are essential, but they require more than policy statements. They demand a shared, strategic and evidence-informed approach across borders.

ICAPHE is uniquely positioned to lead this work. As the only global accreditation agency established solely to improve public health education at a global level, we serve as both a quality assurance body and a convener of knowledge, innovation and community.

Our new initiative supports this dual role. We are creating a platform where education providers, faculty, students, policymakers, employers and researchers can come together to explore solutions, share what works, and help shape and strengthen the future public health workforce.

Collaboration

Connecting the Global Community

At the heart of this initiative is our commitment to global collaboration. Through podcasts, webinars, forums and joint activities, we are building a dynamic space for institutions and individuals to work together on such topics as:

Collaborative programme development and joint degrees
Cross-border research and publications
Shared learning experiences, digital tools and resources
Student and staff exchanges to build global competencies

Our goal is to foster lasting international networks that support innovation, mutual learning and real-world impact.

We welcome participation from public health schools, programmes, training centres, faculty, students, alumni, employers, accreditation bodies, associations and global organisations. If your institution is interested in building stronger ties and learning from peers around the world, this is your invitation to join the movement.

Sharing What Works

Good Practice in Action

To strengthen education systems globally, we must learn from one another. That’s why ICAPHE is launching a curated series of good practice case studies and podcasts, showcasing examples from all six WHO regions.

These sessions will focus on real-world innovations across key areas, including:

Curriculum design: Learn from schools that have redesigned their programmes to reflect changing workforce needs.
Outcome mapping: Explore how aligning course outcomes across degree levels can enhance academic progression.
Community engagement: See how local partnerships can transform student learning and boost public health impact.
Curriculum coordination and assessment: Discover how clear structures and rubrics can strengthen consistency, fairness and quality.

Each contribution highlights practical steps, reflections and lessons learned. Whether you’re developing a new course or rethinking your approach, these stories provide ideas you can adapt to your own context.

We believe that good practice deserves to be seen and shared.

Research That Informs and Improves

Public health education must be grounded in evidence, not assumptions. That’s why research is a core pillar of our work. Through ICAPHE’s coordinated investigations, we are generating data that inform both policy and practice and strengthens the impact of accreditation processes.

Key Research Streams Include:

Global Perspectives on MPH Education: A major international study led by the University of Western Australia is capturing student, faculty and stakeholder views on what matters most in graduate public health education. The project explores barriers, enablers and opportunities for improving the quality and relevance of MPH programmes.
Mapping the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHFs): In line with WHO’s 2024 revised framework, we are analysing how training providers integrate essential public health functions and competencies. This research supports both accreditation and broader efforts to align education with evolving public health needs.
Evidence-Informed Accreditation: Guided by the European Standards and Guidelines (2015) and INQAAHE’s International Standards and Guidelines (2022), our work upholds transparency, responsiveness and continual improvement. ICAPHE’s Scientific Council is central to this mission in leading thematic reviews, synthesising global evidence and publishing findings to influence policy and practice.

Through these investigations, we are not only assessing the current state of public health education but also shaping its future.

Get Involved

This is a collective endeavour. Whether you represent a university, accreditation body, research centre or public health agency, there is a place for you in this growing global community.

We encourage you to:

Share your institution’s examples of good practice
Join our webinars and international collaboration activities
Participate in our research projects
Complete our Needs Assessment to help shape future themes

Together, we can improve quality, expand access, and prepare the next generation of public health professionals to meet the challenges ahead.

Let’s build the future of public health education - together.