The World Health Organization has brought together one of the largest scientific coalitions in its history, convening the first-ever Global Forum of Collaborating Centres—uniting more than 800 institutions from over 80 countries in a sweeping push to confront escalating global health threats.

 

Against a backdrop of geopolitical fragmentation and rising risks, scientists at the forum warned of an increasingly volatile health landscape—but also pointed to a rare opportunity: to transform collaboration into rapid, coordinated action. By the forum’s close, momentum had shifted decisively, with participants pledging to move beyond siloed research toward faster, more integrated global partnerships.

 

The gathering marks a milestone rooted deep in WHO’s origins. Since 1949—when the World Health Assembly first mandated the agency to harness, rather than duplicate, global scientific expertise—the Collaborating Centres network has grown into a backbone of international public health. Today, it spans top-tier research institutes, universities, and technical bodies, driving innovation and translating science into life-saving interventions worldwide.

 

“WHO's network of collaborating centres is an immensely valuable but under-utilized resource for global health," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "It brings together the world’s leading institutions to translate evidence into action to support countries, strengthen health systems, and protect populations. Collaborating centres are a powerful demonstration of international cooperation, and what it means to stand with science."

 

The forum aligns with the broader push of the One Health Summit and anchors the World Health Day 2026 campaign under the banner “Together for health. Stand with science”—a message that resonated throughout the high-level discussions.

 

“Science is at the heart of everything we do to protect and improve health,” said Sylvie Briand. 

 

“The global network of WHO collaborating centres represents an extraordinary concentration of scientific expertise and public health leadership. Together, they form a powerful force for knowledge, innovation, and action. At a time of growing global health challenges, this spirit of trusted scientific collaboration is not only valuable — it is indispensable to protecting lives and shaping a healthier future for all.”

 

Behind the scenes, WHO is scaling up for the next crisis. A major initiative unveiled at the forum—the Collaborative Open Research Consortia (CORC)—will connect thousands of scientists worldwide in a race against “Disease X,” the unknown pathogen that could trigger the next pandemic. The goal: accelerate vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments before the threat emerges.

 

Participants delivered a blunt warning: shrinking global health funding could leave the world dangerously exposed. Without sustained investment and coordination, local outbreaks risk spiraling into global emergencies.