Edastuskiri

To:  National Focal Point for Public Health Training– Members 

Cc: National Focal Point for Public Health Training – Alternates

Cc: National Coordinators of ECDC Coordinating Competent Bodies

Cc: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]

Dear Colleagues,

ECDC is planning to organise the second edition of the online training “Social & Behavioural Science: Principles and Applications for Public Health”. The training will be delivered online in English over three half days (from 3-5 March 2026, 9:30 - 14:30 CET).

This email is sent only for information purposes about the upcoming training activity.  No action is required at this stage from your side.

In coming days, the National Focal Point for Public Health Training (Members), will receive an individual email from ECDCEventNominations-noreply with the link to nominate two participant(s) from their country (one major participant and one alternates) and instructions on the nomination process.

Please find below more specific information about the training.

Scope & Purpose:

The aim of the training is to equip participants with practical skills in applying behavioural science frameworks to real-world public health challenges. Through a problem-based learning approach grounded in the WHO's 5-step framework for behavioural science integration, participants will gain hands-on experience in designing and implementing effective, evidence-based intervention strategies.

Learning objectives

• Understand the role of behavioural and social science frameworks in guiding each step of the WHO 5-step approach for integrating behavioural sciences into public health interventions.

• Apply the WHO framework in real-world contexts through hands-on experience with case studies related to communicable diseases, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and vaccination.

• Analyse the strengths and limitations of behavioural science frameworks and theories when applied to public health cases, developing a critical perspective on their practical application.

Target Audience:

The target audience is Public Health professionals from European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries working in the prevention of infectious diseases prevention and who are interested in developing behavioural and/or social science interventions. Prior experience of or exposure to social and/or behavioural sciences will be beneficial to a collaborative learning experience. 

Additional information

The training will consist of a combination of lectures, group activities, and discussions focused on the application of behavioural science in public health interventions. Sessions will guide participants through the WHO 5-step approach, covering topics such as defining behavioural problems, identifying barriers and enablers, designing and implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes. Group activities will involve applying these steps to real-world case studies, followed by feedback and reflection.

By the end of the training, participants will have gained practical experience in integrating behavioural science into intervention strategies, developed skills in problem-based learning, and enhanced their ability to design, implement, and evaluate effective public health interventions. The training will also include some short pre-course self-paced activities.

Nomination process:

The National Focal Point for Public Health Training (Members) will be invited to identify two participant(s) from their country, one major participant and one alternates (in case the major participant will need to cancel their participation), who could benefit from this training. The deadline for nominations will be on the 23^rd of January 2026.

In parallel to the nomination of thirty participants from the Member States by National Focal Points for Training, we will open ten additional seats to members of the ECDC Lighthouse Community of Practice, an online community of professionals working to strengthen the role of behavioural and social sciences in infectious disease prevention.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation!

Best regards

John Kinsman