WHO Collaborating Centre

Designation 2025 - 2029

The World Health Organization has redesignated the Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC) at NUI Galway as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion Research for a further four-year period up to 2029 (original designation received in 2009). Researchers at the HPRC support the work programme of the WHO Headquarters in Geneva and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, providing technical support and research to advance health promotion policy and practice at regional and international levels.

“We are delighted to continue this important collaboration with WHO Geneva and WHO Europe and greatly value working with WHO partners in advancing strategic Health Promotion policies and actions for promoting population health and wellbeing, says Professor Margaret Barry, Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre at NUI Galway.

Our Aim

To support the WHO work programme in developing health promotion capacity through the translation of health promotion research into policy and practice.

Terms of Reference (ToR):

To support implementation of the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work 2025–2028 (GPW) and the Second European Programme of Work 2025-2030 (EPW2), with particular reference to the strategic objectives outlined in Priorities 2, 3 and 4 of the EPW2 on; tackling NCDs, living and ageing in good physical and mental health, and driving climate-health action.
To support the WHO in the implementation of the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing and the Mental Health Flagship.

ToR 1: Provide technical support on the implementation of health promotion strategies, with a particular focus on population mental wellbeing, sustainable lifestyles, and health literacy strategies.

1.1. Achieving population mental well-being (Margaret Barry)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO is increasingly prioritizing mental health and well-being as integral components of public health across the life course. The Mental Health Flagship and the Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being Team require expert input to ensure that emerging policies and strategies are evidence-based, contextually relevant, and aligned with WHO frameworks. The Collaborating Centre’s support will help WHO:

Strengthen regional and global guidance on population mental health and well-being.
Inform technical documents, policy briefs, and strategic frameworks.
Enhance capacity-building efforts and advocacy initiatives.
Ensure coherence between mental health, child and adolescent health, and health promotion agendas.

Deliverables will be used to guide Member States, support implementation of WHO strategies, and contribute to regional and global dialogues on mental health and wellbeing.

Brief description of the activity: Activities will include providing technical advice and support to the Mental Health Flagship and the Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Team at WHO-EURO, and as requested to WHO Health Promotion team in Geneva, on the development and implementation of population mental health and wellbeing policies and strategies.

What will be the WHO’s role in this activity?

Coordination of the activities and fitting them into the global, regional and country workplans. WHO will review and confirm all materials and ensure alignment with WHO norms and standards, policies and procedures.

Expected deliverable(s):

Technical inputs to WHO policy documents, strategic frameworks, and guidance materials.
Expert contributions to meetings, workshops, and consultations organized by WHO/Europe and WHO/HQ.
Written reports or summaries of evidence to inform WHO’s work on population mental health and wellbeing.

Activity timeframe 2025-2029.

1.2. Promoting healthy environments and sustainable lifestyles (Mary Jo Lavelle)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO is planning to develop briefs and an action criteria for healthy, sustainable and resilient cities. The deliverables will provide guidance to policy-makers at the local level to improve governance for health and well-being and support creation of health-promoting environments and systems. In addition to supporting implementation of the WHO 14th GPW and EPW2, this activity provides guidance on recommendations proposed in the WHO Global Framework for Well-being, the Pact for the Future and the Political Declarations of the High-Level Meetings on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.

Brief description of the activity:

Activities will include providing technical support for healthy environments and sustainable lifestyles relevant to WHO EURO. These activities align with the WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work, 2025–2028 and the Second European Programme of Work 2026-2030. In particular, this activity will explore and document co-benefits and opportunities for fostering climate action for better health.

What will be WHO’s role in this activity?

Set the strategic direction, lead the development process and coordinate consultations and collation of feedback.

Expected deliverable(s): Technical input (e.g. reviewing Healthy Cities technical briefs and/or resources on climate action for health, Global Healthy Cities action criteria and indicators) and participation in working groups and meetings on healthy environments and sustainable lifestyles.

Activity timeframe

Q1 2025 Review a draft brief with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies

Q2-4 2025 Participate as reviewer of the action criteria for Healthy Cities

*Deliverables listed above are subject to intellectual property (IP) rights:

IP rights of ALL deliverables belong to the WHOCC as per paragraphs 3.1.1 and/or 3.2.1 of the Terms and Conditions.
IP rights of ALL deliverables belong to WHO as per paragraphs 3.1.2 and/or 3.2.2 of the Terms and Conditions
Other (please explain in the box “Expected deliverables” above, next to each concerned deliverable).

The WHO CC team is requested to provide technical support.

1.3. Promoting health literacy across healthcare organisations and communities (Verna McKenna)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO is working to strengthen national policies on health literacy, to empower individuals and communities, and to create health literate systems and societies. The deliverables will support the health sector and other sectors (e.g. education) to address a determinant of health and equity. In addition to supporting implementation of the WHO 14th GPW and EPW2, this activity provides guidance on recommendations proposed in the WHO Global Framework for Well-being and the Political Declarations of the High-Level Meetings on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.

Brief description of the activity

To provide technical support on the promotion of health literacy across healthcare organizations and communities, in support of WHO’s well-being agenda and the EPW2 2025-2030. This activity will explore and document opportunities to build digital health literacy capacity within the context of the digital transformation of health and care.

What will be the WHO’s role in this activity?

Set the strategic direction, lead the development process and coordinate consultations and collation of feedback.

Expected deliverable(s): Technical input (e.g. reviewing health literacy competency frameworks and tools) and participation in working groups and related meetings.

Activity timeframe

March 2026 – Participate in expert consultations on the development of tools to assess school children’s health literacy levels

May 2027 – Review of a report on health literacy measurement tools of children and teachers

*Deliverables listed above are subject to intellectual property (IP) rights:

IP rights of ALL deliverables belong to the WHOCC as per paragraphs 3.1.1 and/or 3.2.1 of the Terms and Conditions
IP rights of ALL deliverables belong to WHO as per paragraphs 3.1.2 and/or 3.2.2 of the Terms and Conditions
Other (please explain in the box “Expected deliverables” above, next to each concerned deliverable).

The WHO CC team is requested to provide technical support.

ToR 2: To support the WHO in the implementation of the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing and the Mental Health Flagship.

2.1 Provide technical support to implement the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. (Colette Kelly & Saoirse Nic Gabhainn)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO is requesting this activity to receive support in operationalizing the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being across the Region. The strategy provides a comprehensive framework to improve health outcomes for children and adolescents across the Region, and its effective implementation requires tailored technical support, evidence-based guidance, and capacity-building at a country level.

The deliverables from this activity will inform WHO’s regional and country-level actions, including policy development and monitoring of progress. They will also contribute to knowledge exchange among Member States and strengthen alignment with global health priorities related to child and adolescent health.

Concrete actions

Activities will include providing technical support and advice as required. This may include input to the development of an implementation action plan, followed by supporting implementation progress reports and related deliverables.

What will be the WHO’s role in this activity?

Coordination of the activities and fitting them into the regional and country workplans in the

countries across the Region. WHO will review and confirm all materials and ensure alignment with WHO norms and standards, policies and procedures.

Expected deliverables

Technical support and advisory inputs. Written contributions, expert reviews or participation in consultations to support the WHO in implementing the CAH strategy at a regional and country levels.
Support for country-level activities. Contributions to workshops, missions, or technical meetings aimed at strengthening national implementation of the strategy.
Monitoring and reporting inputs. Support in identifying and interpreting HBSC indicators and other relevant data sources to monitor progress on strategy implementation.
Knowledge products and dissemination materials. Development or contribution to briefs, reports, or presentations that communicate progress, good practices, and lessons learned.

Activity timeframe 2025-2029

2.2 Support youth participation in WHO EURO activities (C. Kelly & S. Nic Gabhainn)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO prioritizes meaningful adolescent participation as a cornerstone of effective health policy and programming. Engaging adolescents in decision-making processes ensures that health initiatives are relevant, equitable, and responsive to their needs. This activity supports the WHO’s commitment to adolescent empowerment and aligns with global and regional strategies promoting participatory governance in health.

The WHO will use the advice, technical support and participation in working groups to strengthen Member States’ capacity to involve adolescents in health-related initiatives. Deliverables will inform guidance documents, support country-level implementation, and contribute to regional platforms that promote adolescent engagement.

Activities

Activities will include providing advice and technical support for adolescent participation activities relevant to WHO Euro and WHO HQ upon request. Membership of working groups and/or leading or supporting activities that support member states to involve adolescents in various health-related initiatives or strategies across the region will be prioritised.

What will be the WHO’s role in this activity?

Coordination of the activities and fitting them into the regional and country workplans in the countries across the Region. WHO will review and confirm all materials and ensure alignment with WHO norms and standards, policies and procedures.

Expected deliverables

Technical advice and guidance documents. Written inputs or recommendations to support WHO/Europe and WHO/HQ in designing and implementing adolescent participation mechanisms.
Participation in working groups or expert panels. Active membership in WHO-led working groups focused on adolescent engagement, contributing expertise and strategic direction.
Development or co-development of tools and resources. Creation or adaptation of tools (e.g. toolkits, training materials, frameworks) that help Member States engage adolescents meaningfully.
Reports or summaries of youth engagement activities. Documentation of participation efforts, lessons learned, and recommendations for scaling up adolescent involvement.
Facilitation of youth networks or forums. Support for organizing or strengthening platforms where adolescents can share perspectives and influence health-related decision-making.

Activity timeframe 2025-2029

Contribute to the international leadership of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (C. Kelly & S. Nic Gabhainn)

Why the WHO is asking for this activity and how the WHO will use the deliverables

The WHO relies on the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study as a key source of data to monitor adolescent health and well-being across the European Region. Indicators from HBSC are being used, and will continue to be used, to monitor progress related to the implementation of the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health and Well-being. Strategic coordination and methodological improvements are essential to ensure the quality, relevance, and comparability of HBSC data. This activity supports WHO’s efforts to strengthen evidence-based policy-making and track progress on regional health priorities.

The WHO will use the outputs to enhance the strategic direction of the HBSC network, improve measurement tools and reporting standards, and ensure that HBSC findings are effectively translated into policy and practice. The deliverables will also inform regional and country-level monitoring frameworks and contribute to WHO publications and advocacy materials.

Activities

Through membership of the HBSC network coordinating committee, we will support the development of strategic activities where required and implementation of same. Through chairperson roles and members of specific focus groups, we will work to improve measurement and reporting for youth health.

What will be the WHO’s role in this activity?

Expected deliverables

Strategic inputs through HBSC Coordinating Committee membership. Contributions to planning and decision-making processes that guide the HBSC network’s priorities and activities.
Leadership and participation in HBSC focus groups. Chairing or actively contributing to thematic groups aimed at improving data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Development or refinement of measurement tools. Technical inputs to enhance survey instruments and indicators relevant to adolescent health.
Support for reporting and dissemination. Contributions to HBSC reports, summaries, and communication materials that present findings in accessible formats for stakeholders.

Activity timeframe 2025-2029

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