UM represented at landmark WHO Global Forum with three Collaborating Centres

The University of Malta (UM) has marked a significant milestone on the global public health stage, with all three of its World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres actively represented at the first-ever WHO Global Forum of Collaborating Centres, held in Lyon, France between 7–9 April 2026.

Bringing together representatives from over 800 institutions across more than 80 countries, the Forum served as a historic platform to strengthen scientific collaboration, align global health priorities, and reinforce the role of WHO Collaborating Centres in advancing the “Health for All” agenda.

The Forum, themed “Collaborating for a Healthier Future”, aimed to harness the collective expertise of WHO Collaborating Centres and better align their work with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14). Through plenary discussions, thematic sessions, and interactive workshops, participants explored how to enhance collaboration across regions, address emerging health challenges, and translate scientific evidence into policy and practice. A key outcome of the meeting is expected to be a shared roadmap linking the work of Collaborating Centres to measurable global health impact.

A strong Maltese presence in global health

The University of Malta stood out as one of the few institutions globally hosting multiple WHO Collaborating Centres, all of which were represented at the Forum:

• WHO Collaborating Centre on Health Policies and Systems in Small States, represented by Prof. Neville Calleja and Dr Sarah Cuschieri, focusing on strengthening health systems and policy development in small countries.

• WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Professionals Education and Research, based within the Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics and headed by Prof. Maria Cordina, contributing to capacity building and education of the healthcare workforce.

• WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Promotion and Protection in Schools, housed within the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health at the University of Malta and led by Prof. Carmel Cefai, focusing on advancing school-based mental health and wellbeing.

Amongst the 88 country delegations, only 7 small countries of less than 2 million persons were represented. Malta was the only one of the seven with more than one WHO Collaborating Centre in attendance. This distinction provides compelling evidence of the University of Malta’s strong contribution relative to its size, underscoring its meaningful role in advancing international development and collaboration, particularly within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals. As global health challenges become increasingly complex, such engagement ensures that small states like Malta remain not only participants but key contributors in shaping equitable, evidence-based health solutions worldwide.