Urban health research and practice have greatly improved in quality, quantity, and depth over the past 20 years. This growth highlights the large and growing knowledge that should be translated into policies to improve population health and reduce health inequities in cities worldwide. At the same time, social processes such as urbanization, urban renewal, segregation, and gentrification, to name a few, along with the uninterrupted advance of climate change and environmental degradation pose evolving challenges to population health, health equity, and environmental sustainability in cities.

Given these considerable opportunities, EUPHA brings together research and public health practitioners from across the globe that focus on varied health outcomes including re-emerging infectious diseases as well as non-communicable diseases.

To conduct the most relevant and policy-oriented urban health research worldwide, we need to develop innovative data collection and analytical approaches within interdisciplinary teams that share resources and results across cities. Designing meaningful research that can yield the types of evidence needed for urban policies and translating this evidence into population health improvement and health inequities reduction are pressing challenges in our increasingly urbanized world.

Our mission is to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, generate innovative data, and translate evidence into impactful urban policies that promote health, equity, and environmental sustainability.

Strategic focus areas (2024–2027)

• Knowledge translation: Bridge the gap between research and policy by designing and conducting policy-oriented urban health research and ensuring that evidence leads to real improvements in population health and reductions in health inequalities.
• Interdisciplinary innovation: Promote innovative data collection and analysis through interdisciplinary teams, sharing data and results across cities to address complex urban health challenges.
• Global and local collaboration: Connect and coordinate with key stakeholders in Europe and internationally—including groups in Australia, the US, and the International Society of Urban Health (ISUH)—to share best practices and advance the field.
• Capacity building: Mentor early-stage urban health researchers through the EUPHAnxt programme and support the next generation of leaders in urban health.
• Community engagement: Organize Urban Health webinars, pre-conferences, and workshops at the European Public Health Conference and other events and forums and serve as a network hub for urban health practice and research stakeholders.
• Strategic communication: Enhance the visibility and impact of urban health through EUPHA’s communication channels, including the European Journal of Public Health and social media.
• Conference leadership: Play a leading role in the 2026 European Public Health Conference in Bilbao, where urban health will be a central theme: “Urban and Global Synergy: Shaping Health Futures with Climate Resilience, Equity and Innovation.”

Our team, is committed to developing and implementing an ambitious strategy for the Urban Health Section, fully aligned with EUPHA’s broader mission. We will also build on the experience of previous leadership, inviting past presidents and committee members to contribute to our ongoing work.