WHO/Europe 2026 Mental Health Capacity-Building Programme for Public Health Professionals in Europe | Fully Accredited Training Opportunity in Bilbao, Spain

Mental health promotion and prevention are becoming increasingly important priorities across Europe, especially as governments, public health agencies, and institutions work to address rising mental health challenges affecting communities. In response to this growing need, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe), in collaboration with the European Public Health Association (EUPHA), has launched a major call for applications for its 2026 Capacity-Building Programme on Strengthening Public Health Workforce Capacity for Mental Health Promotion and Prevention.

This prestigious programme is designed to equip public health professionals with practical, evidence-based tools and strategies for advancing mental health promotion, prevention, anti-stigma action, and resilience-building across health systems and communities.

The initiative forms part of a broader project supported by the European Commission titled “Addressing mental health challenges in the European Union, Iceland and Norway.”

The programme combines:

• A 6-week interactive webinar series
• An in-person synthesis conference in Bilbao, Spain
• Accredited public health education credits
• Opportunities for networking and collaboration across Europe

The first cohort will include 120 professionals from European Union countries, Iceland, and Norway.

Deadline for Applications

Applications must be submitted no later than 26 May 2026.

Selected participants will be notified on 5 July 2026.

 

About the WHO/Europe Mental Health Programme

WHO/Europe recognizes that mental health promotion and prevention are no longer optional additions to public health systems — they are essential public health responsibilities.

Recent consultations conducted by WHO/Europe and its partners identified several major challenges affecting mental health systems across Europe, including:

• Limited understanding of effective population-level mental health interventions
• Weak integration between clinical mental health services and public health sectors
• Persistent stigma surrounding mental health, even within professional institutions
• Insufficient use of lived experience perspectives in programme design
• Gaps in mental health surveillance and monitoring systems
• Limited measurement tools beyond service utilization and prevalence statistics

To address these gaps, WHO/Europe and EUPHA developed this specialized training programme aimed at strengthening the skills and competencies of public health professionals working on mental health policy, practice, research, and strategy.

 

What the Programme Offers

The WHO/Europe capacity-building programme is structured around two major components:

1. Interactive Webinar Series

Participants will attend five interactive webinars between 10 September and 15 October 2026.

Sessions will take place from 11:30–13:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST).

The webinar topics include:

1. Strategies for addressing and reducing stigma
2. Advancing research on mental health prevention
3. Intersectoral collaboration and “Mental Health in All Policies”
4. Integrating lived and living experience into public mental health action
5. Mental health surveillance, data integration, and monitoring systems

These webinars are designed to provide participants with practical, research-informed tools that can be implemented within their institutions and communities.

 

2. In-Person Synthesis Conference in Bilbao, Spain

Following the webinar series, participants will be invited to attend a one-day synthesis conference titled:

“Strengthening Public Health Practice in Mental Health”

The event will take place on:

• 10 November 2026
• Bilbao, Spain

The conference will serve as a pre-conference event for the European Public Health Conference.

The in-person event will allow participants to:

• Consolidate learning from the webinar sessions
• Engage in collaborative discussions
• Exchange practical experiences and solutions
• Build professional networks
• Explore future actions for public mental health systems

Participants may also separately register for the broader European Public Health Conference, subject to conference registration requirements.

 

Accreditation and Certification Benefits

One of the strongest aspects of this programme is its internationally recognized accreditation system.

Successful participants will receive:

• An EUPHAcademy Certificate
• 7.5 APHEA credits for completing the webinar series
• Up to 12.5 APHEA credits for participating in both the webinar series and the synthesis conference

The curriculum aligns with:

• The WHO–ASPHER Competency Framework for the Public Health Workforce in the European Region (2020)
• The ASPHER Core Curriculum for Public Health (2024)

This makes the programme highly valuable for professionals seeking career advancement in public health and mental health sectors.

 

Learning Objectives

The programme aims to help participants:

• Understand mental health from a population health perspective
• Apply evidence-informed approaches to mental health promotion and prevention
• Improve collaboration between public health and psychiatric professionals
• Integrate lived experience perspectives into mental health action
• Strengthen public mental health systems
• Promote “mental health in all policies” approaches
• Use appropriate indicators and surveillance tools for monitoring mental health outcomes

 

Who Should Apply?

The programme is specifically designed for public health professionals involved in:

• Policy development
• Public health practice
• Research
• Strategic health planning
• Community health systems
• Mental health promotion initiatives

Typical eligible roles include:

• Policy officers
• Public health officers
• Epidemiologists
• Surveillance and data analysts
• Community health workers
• Health promotion practitioners
• Researchers
• Strategic communicators
• Cross-system liaison officers

Applicants may come from:

• National public health institutes
• Ministries of health
• Ministries of social affairs
• Regional and local health authorities
• Universities and research institutions
• Community-based health organizations

 

Important Eligibility Information

Accreditation eligibility is restricted to professionals currently working in:

• European Union Member States
• Iceland
• Norway

However, WHO/Europe has also announced that:

• Recorded sessions
• Learning resources
• Programme materials

will be openly accessible to individuals worldwide without an application requirement.

This means global learners and mental health advocates can still benefit from programme content even if they are not eligible for formal accreditation.

 

Required Application Documents

Applicants must submit the following documents through the EUPHAcademy online registration system:

1. Cover Letter (Maximum 500 Words)

The cover letter must explain:

• Current role and organization
• Connection between the applicant’s work and mental health promotion/prevention
• Learning expectations from the programme
• How the knowledge gained will be applied
• Plans for sharing the learning with colleagues or institutions

2. Curriculum Vitae (Maximum 2 Pages)

The CV must follow GDPR-compliant standards and should NOT include:

• Home address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Photograph
• Marital status
• Other personal identifiers

 

Selection Criteria

WHO/Europe and EUPHA aim to ensure:

• Balanced geographical representation
• Professional relevance
• Diversity of expertise
• Meaningful inclusion of people with lived and living experience

Because places are limited, applicants are encouraged to prepare strong and compelling applications.

 

Why This Programme Matters

Mental health has become one of the most urgent public health priorities globally. Public health systems increasingly require professionals who understand:

• Prevention strategies
• Community-based interventions
• Anti-stigma frameworks
• Cross-sector collaboration
• Data-driven mental health policies

This programme offers participants a unique opportunity to gain specialized competencies while connecting with leading public health experts and institutions across Europe.

For professionals working in health systems, policy, research, and mental health advocacy, this initiative could significantly strengthen both technical expertise and professional networks.

 

Application Link

Interested applicants can apply through the official EUPHAcademy registration platform provided by WHO/Europe and EUPHA.

For more information, visit:

WHO/Europe Official Page

 

Apply here

 

Learn More

• For more information about this opportunity, Click here
• More global Fellowship opportunities for youth, visit the OFY website: Click here