Seventieth Regional Committee for Europe: virtual session, 14–15 September 2020: establishing a Pan-European Transformational Leadership Academy

W OR LD HEALTH OR GAN IZA T I ON R EGIO N AL OFF I C E FOR E U R OPE UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Telephone: +45 45 33 70 00 Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Email: eugovernance@who.int Web: http://www.euro.who.int/en/who-we-are/governance Regional Committee for Europe EUR/RC70/Inf.Doc./5 70th session Virtual session, 14–15 September 2020 3 September 2020 200721 Provisional agenda item 4 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Establishing a Pan-European Transformational Leadership Academy In support of the implementation of the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe”, this concept note sets out the rationale and proposed modalities for the establishment of a Pan-European Transformational Leadership Academy in the WHO European Region, with a particular focus on the elaboration of Tiers 1 and 2 of the Academy through two demonstration projects to be undertaken during 2021. It is submitted for information to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe at its 70th session in September 2020. EUR/RC70/Inf.Doc./5 page 2 Introduction 1. Member States of WHO globally – and in its European Region – are committed to implementing three interconnected strategic priorities that constitute the pillars of the Organization’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023 (GPW 13): moving towards universal health coverage; protecting people better against health emergencies; and ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages. 2. These core priorities are anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are linked to three bold targets for the health sector’s contribution to the SDGs. 3. The European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe” (EPW), to be considered at the 70th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, demonstrates how the work of WHO/Europe will contribute to the global vision set out in GPW 13. It aligns the work of WHO/Europe with the “triple billion” targets of GPW 13, while supporting countries in their commitments to implement the 2030 Agenda and the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All. 4. The EPW reflects WHO/Europe’s determination to leave no one behind and to strengthen the leadership capabilities of health authorities in the Region. It sets its priorities for the coming five years by starting from what citizens in the Region legitimately expect from their health authorities. People want their authorities to guarantee their right to universal access to quality care without fear of financial hardship; they want them to offer effective protection against health emergencies; and they want to be able to thrive in healthy communities, where public health actions and appropriate public policies secure a better life in an economy of well-being. 5. The establishment of a Pan-European Transformational Leadership Academy (ETLA) is a key initiative of the WHO Regional Director for Europe, that is intended to support how WHO/Europe will work to maximize country impact to deliver the EPW and GPW 13. Goal and objectives of the ETLA 6. The overarching goal of the ETLA is to support Member States to achieve the goals and objectives of GPW 13 and the EPW, including by supporting national health systems to prepare for potential risks and emergencies, and in the delivery of universal health coverage to leave on one behind. 7. Health systems and health institutions are facing constant adaptive challenges. Technological developments, the digital health agenda, political and popular demands for sustainability, enhanced quality and accessibility, crises and emergencies – all call for transformation and ongoing adaptation at various levels of the health, social care and public health systems. EUR/RC70/Inf.Doc./5 page 3 8. In addition, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic across the Region, there is an even more urgent need to focus on the recovery, resilience and robustness of these systems, as both the pandemic and its economic fall-out are placing them under additional stress. 9. With an ever-growing evidence base concerning health policy, policy-makers have strong reference points regarding possible policy choices and their implications. However, more needs to be done to provide tools and other capacity-building support for “how” to design, implement and evaluate health policies and drive sustainable change. 10. It is in this context that it is proposed to develop the ETLA to enhance the capacity of national health systems, in order to: support the delivery of universal health coverage; prepare for potential risks and emergencies, including though building health system resilience and supporting recovery in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; and promote health and well- being. 11. It should be noted that the ETLA is an initiative of WHO/Europe, targeted specifically at the needs of the European Region. As part of the WHO transformation, the WHO Regional Office for Europe is actively supporting the development of the WHO Academy and as this global initiative scales up, opportunities for synergies between the initiatives will be explored. ETLA structure 12. When fully operationalized, the ETLA will comprise three tiers as follows: Tier 1 – a capacity-building programme that offers opportunities for young professionals from national administrations and public health institutions to obtain an enhanced understanding of public health and health systems, with an emphasis on building participatory leadership capacities, as well as of the WHO/United Nations system. Participants will be enrolled in a structured training programme (with exposure to both WHO’s technical work and its ways of working at the country, subregional and regional levels), and will be placed in technical units and other relevant settings within WHO/Europe (the Regional Office in Copenhagen, Denmark, geographically dispersed offices and country offices); Tier 2 – a mid-level exchange programme for officials from national administrations, with opportunities for mutually beneficial exchanges of knowledge, experience and capacity-building between these officials and WHO/Europe’s technical programmes, in line with the three core priorities and four flagship initiatives of the EPW, and including a focus on health system recovery and resilience; Tier 3 – a twinning and peer-support programme between high-level decision-makers, with structured support for the exchange and scaling up of nationwide and sustainable health system and public health innovations, and for effectively EUR/RC70/Inf.Doc./5 page 4 managing change. Tier 3 will build on the WHO/Europe health system transformation programme of 2015–2017.1 13. This concept note focuses, in particular, on the elaboration of Tiers 1 and 2 of the ETLA, in the first instance through two demonstration projects to be undertaken by WHO/Europe in 2021. Overview of Tiers 1 and 2 14. The overall objectives of Tiers 1 and 2 are: to strengthen human resources for health in the European Region though the provision of opportunities for learning and professional development within WHO/Europe in relation to the three core priorities and four flagship initiatives of the EPW; to create a network of trained health professionals to support and advance the EPW through strengthened health systems in the Region; to enhance knowledge and insight into health systems challenges and operations at country level within WHO/Europe; to provide a vehicle for practical dialogue between the regional and country levels in priority technical areas; and in the medium term, to assist in addressing the issue of under-representation of some European Member States in international governmental organizations, including WHO. 15. Participants will be given opportunities to learn about and participate in the regular work of the Organization, including at Regional Office and country office levels, as appropriate. 16. Learning objectives and outcomes will be agreed jointly with each participant and they will be encouraged to participate freely in relevant technical activities, including having opportunities to travel in connection with technical meetings, workshops or other activities relevant to their terms of reference. Internal and external training courses and learning opportunities will be identified through the agreement of participants’ learning objectives and outcomes. 17. For Tier 1, the duration of the programme will be 12 months. For Tier 2, the duration of the programme will be between three and six months. 18. As the ETLA is a supporting initiative for the implementation of the EPW, only applicants from Member States of the European Region will be considered, with initial 1 See: Leading health system transformation to the next level. Expert meeting, Durham, United Kingdom, 12–13 July 2017. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2017 (available at: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-systems/health-systems- governance/publications/2017/leading-health-system-transformation-to-the-next-level-2017); Health system transformation: making it happen. Expert meeting, Madrid, Spain, 17–18 December 2015. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2016 (available at: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health- systems/health-systems-governance/publications/2016/health-system-transformation-making-it-happen-2016). EUR/RC70/Inf.Doc./5 page 5 priority being given to public health officials/professionals from Member States in central Asia and the Western Balkans. 19. It should be noted that participants will not have the status of WHO staff members and will not be authorized under any circumstances to express their opinions on behalf of WHO or to work with government counterparts without the direct supervision of the responsible technical programme manager. Implementation timeline 20. The following high-level timeline and milestones are proposed for the demonstration projects in 2020 and 2021. October 2020 Tier 1 demonstration project commences, including announcement of selection process for initial intake. November 2020 Tier 2 demonstration project commences, including announcement of selection process for initial intake. January 2021 Tier 1 programme commences with initial intake in place. February 2021 Tier 2 programme commences with initial intake in place. September 2021 Progress reported to the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. December 2021 Evaluation of Tier 1 and 2 demonstration projects submitted to the Regional Director. Project sponsorship and management 21. This project will be financed by a mix of core and voluntary contributions. For the 2020–2021 demonstration project period, it will be led by the WHO/Europe Transformation and Organization Development unit, supported by the Human Resources and Talent Management and Staff Development and Learning units. = = =