WHO Forum Brings Together 800 Collaborating Centres for Science

The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened the historic first Global Forum of Collaborating Centres—one of the world’s largest and most diverse public health networks—bringing together representatives from over 800 institutions designated as WHO Collaborating Centres (CCs) across more than 80 countries.

At the meeting, scientists emphasized the health threats arising in today's fragmented world—challenges that not only demand immediate action but also present new opportunities to rally efforts towards improved health solutions. The Forum concluded today with a renewed commitment among the extensive network, shifting from rigid scientific projects to more dynamic and integrated partnerships.

Rooted in one of WHO’s core constitutional functions, the Collaborating Centres network has enhanced the Organization’s scientific foundations since its earliest years. In 1949, the Second World Health Assembly affirmed that WHO should advance health research not by creating its own institutions, but by coordinating, supporting, and leveraging existing expertise across the world.

Over the past 77 years, the WHO CC network has expanded to include many of the world’s leading public health, academic, research, and technical institutions. Today, it remains a powerful asset—strengthening WHO’s global norms and standards, supporting innovation, collaborative research, and capacity building—helping turn scientific knowledge into life-saving action worldwide.

"WHO's network of collaborating centres is an immensely valuable but under-utilized resource for global health," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It brings together the world’s leading institutions to translate evidence into action to support countries, strengthen health systems, and protect populations. Collaborating centres are a powerful demonstration of international cooperation and what it means to stand with science."

The Global Forum capitalizes on the momentum and aligns with the international One Health Summit, which brings together leaders from various fields of human, animal, and environmental health. It also serves as a key event for the World Health Day 2026 campaign, themed “Together for health. Stand with science.”

“Science is at the heart of everything we do to protect and improve health,” said Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist. “The global network of WHO collaborating centers represents an extraordinary concentration of scientific expertise and public health leadership. Together, they form a powerful force for knowledge, innovation, and action. At a time of growing global health challenges, this spirit of trusted scientific collaboration is not only valuable — it is indispensable to protecting lives and shaping a healthier future for all.”

WHO is also expanding its global community of CCs to confront emerging health threats with greater strength and unity. A key initiative is the creation of the CORC (Collaborative Open Research Consortia)—networks of leading research institutions that bring together thousands of scientists worldwide.

Their mission is bold and essential: to accelerate the development of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments for Disease X — the unknown pathogen that could trigger the next pandemic. By collaborating, the networks aim to establish the scientific readiness that the world will depend on when that time arrives.

The Global Forum participants emphasized that strong international cooperation remains essential, particularly amid reductions in global health financing. Coordinated global responses, collective investment, and collaboration are critical in preventing local health crises from becoming global emergencies.

WHO has announced that the next Global Forum will take place in 2027 to further enhance this historic collaborative platform.