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Mid-Term Conference Recap: Cluj-Napoca, 22–24 April

Our section’s mid-term conference in Cluj-Napoca was a great opportunity for the European and global health and care workforce community. Convened alongside distinguished partners — including the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Public Health Association, the Department of Public Health and the Centre for Health Workforce Research and Policy at UBB Cluj-Napoca, the BeWell Project, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Workforce Policy and Planning (hosted by the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at NOVA University Lisbon), and the World Health Organization — the event tackled some of the most pressing structural challenges facing European health systems today.

The conference also shone a spotlight on two increasingly indispensable tools — skill-mix innovation and strategic workforce forecasting. Drawing on findings from the BeWell and HEROES projects, we explored the digital and green skill requirements that will define the health workforce of tomorrow.

Section Steering Committee Meeting – 23 April 2026

The Steering Committee convened in Cluj-Napoca on the margins of the conference — a productive gathering that will shape the section’s direction in the months ahead. We were happy to have most of the Steering Committee members joining us in person:

* Marius Ungureanu (section president)
* Ligia Paina (section vice-president)
* Michelle Falkenbach (section vice-president)
* Ellen Kuhlmann
* Niamh Humphries 
* Tiago Correia 
* Pieternella Pieterse 
* Julia Lohmann
* Mara Bumbu (mid-term conference manager)
* Ruxandra Simonescu Colan (EUPHANxt)
* Stefan Lazar (social media manager)

Upcoming Deadlines & Opportunities — Act Now!

May 1 is the deadline for #EPHC2026 in Bilbao. If you haven’t yet submitted, do so immediately – here!

European Public Health Week — Don’t miss the opportunity to register your event here. Our section is proud to be an official partner of Day 5, dedicated entirely to the health workforce.

#EUHPP Live Webinar: Health Workforce at the Core of the Transformation of Health Systems Friday, 8 May 2026 | 15:00–16:30 CET A timely conversation on the central role of the workforce in reshaping health systems. Register here

New Publications Worth Reading

The past months have seen a remarkable output from our community. Below are the latest contributions — several of which emerged directly from the work of our section members and partners:

• Kuhlmann E, Rees GH, Falkenbach M, Williams GA, Wismar M. Moving towards a resilient health and care workforce: how to institutionalize health workforce planning and forecasting. Copenhagen: European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies / WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2026. [CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO] — Access here
• European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies et al. Closing the digital skills gap in healthcare: identifying core digital skills and competencies and education and training opportunities for health professionals in the EU. WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2025. — Access here
• European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies et al. Green skills for a sustainable future: building a climate-smart health and care workforce in the European Union. WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2025. — Access here
• European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies et al. Aligning health workforce forecasting and planning with changing care models: the role of integrated data, mixed methods and professional registers. WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2026. — Access here
• Correia T, Chêne G, Squires N, et al. No health without workforce: reinforcing public health capacity amidst global shifts. BMJ Global Health 2026;11:e020402. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2025-020402 – Access here
• Löfflad-Bürkin BM et al. A scoping review of transformational leadership development in health-related PhD programs. Health Policy 2025;161:105411 – Access here

Mark Your Calendars — Forthcoming Events

The conference season is shaping up to be particularly rich. Here are the events worth keeping an eye on:

European Health Management Conference 2026 Future-proofing health systems for a changing world: from strategy to action 10–12 June 2026 | Barcelona, Spain Co-hosted by La Unió – Catalan Hospital, Health and Social Services Association, the EHMC brings together health managers, policymakers, and researchers to address systemic challenges in European healthcare.

EFPC 2026 Conference 6–8 September 2026 | Stuttgart, Germany Hosted by the Bosch Health Campus at the Hospitalhof.

6th Visegrad Four Public Health Conference (V4 PHC 2026) 9–11 September 2026 | High Tatras, Slovakia This EUPHA mid-term conference will gather researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students from across the V4 countries and beyond. Theme: “Healthy Horizons: Exploring Innovations in Public Health.” 

World Congress of Public Health 6–9 September 2026 | Cape Town, South Africa Organised by WFPHA and PHASA, the Congress theme — “Health Without Borders: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability”.

HSR2026: The 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research 9–11 November 2026 | Dubai A truly global convening of policymakers, researchers, civil society, and funders committed to strengthening health systems worldwide.

Learning & Leadership

For those seeking to deepen their leadership practice, the LEAD course — part of the MBA in International Health Management at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute — offers a rigorous, reflective programme designed for working professionals. With a focus on transformational leadership and leading in complex systems, it is well worth considering for colleagues at mid-career and beyond.

As always, we welcome your contributions, announcements, and reflections. The strength of this section lies in the community it represents.

If you have anything worth sharing, please do let us know by 15 May, by replying to this email.

All the best,
Marius & Michelle & Ligia

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