EU launches new Health Union Fellowship

What is the new Health Union Fellowship? Why has it been established?

On 5 December 2024, DG SANTE launched its brand-new Health Union Fellowship, under the motto “Health Unites Us”. The Fellowship programme is a stepping stone of the European Health Union, designed to promote learning, knowledge exchange and collaboration on critical health issues. It brings together public health experts nominated by Member States and selected based on their experience in EU public health. 

A team of widely recognised experts will train the fellows, who will also be supported by a robust network of highly experienced mentors, including senior leaders at Ministries of Health or other national health bodies and DG SANTE experts.

The Fellowship complements existing programmes by offering a practice-oriented training and strengthening a thriving community of health experts from Member States. The Fellowship will bring our Health Union even more to life by providing a platform for mutual learning, best practice and knowledge sharing, as well as ongoing and informal exchanges on key topics. 

What type of topics will the Fellowship cover and how were these chosen? 

The training programme is diverse and will cover horizontal topics such as EU health policymaking and implementation, while also deep diving into key health topics and priorities, including crisis preparedness and response, the pharmaceutical and medical device strategy, digital health initiatives, health promotion and disease prevention. These topics were chosen as they reflect current health policy priorities.

From the beginning of the programme, fellows will be divided in groups to jointly work on a dedicated policy project. Each project will cover different skill archetypes (e.g., comparative research, impact assessment) and will focus on a current priority area of the EU health policy agenda. Projects will be allocated based on fellows' existing experience and interests; with support provided by dedicated mentors. Finally, the results of the joint policy projects will be presented at the Annual Forum.

COVID-19 demonstrated the need for unified efforts across Member States in addressing the biggest health challenges of our time. This fellowship is another example of how we are collaborating with multiple stakeholders today, to prepare for the health challenges of tomorrow. 

What are you hoping to achieve with the Fellowship?

The Health Union Fellowship will facilitate mutual learning, building bridges and fostering meaningful connections in the European health community. Fellows will gain in-depth, hands-on understanding of the European Health Union and its policies, while developing essential skills to contribute effectively to health policy at both EU and national level. Beyond individual development, the programme will also create a pan-EU community of public health experts, reinforcing collaboration between Member States and the European Commission. 

With the Fellowship, we hope to grow expertise across Member States by providing horizontal knowledge on EU health legislation and vertical topic expertise on key EU health priorities. We intend to strengthen cohesion by providing a platform of exchange for EU public health experts to discuss health (system) challenges, building on existing initiatives, and further strengthening pan-EU collaboration on health policymaking. We want the fellowship to form an integral part of the vibrant EU health ecosystem. 

And finally, we aim to contribute to policies by further equipping fellows to navigate the EU health policy landscape through practice-oriented training (e.g., interactive training formats like case studies, team policy projects, technical and relational skill development). 

On 5 December, fellow and mentors gathered for an online inaugural session, marking the official launch of the Fellowship. The first face to face training module will take place between 10 and 14 February in Bruges and Brussels.