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EPIC11's Goal
The aim of the project is to develop and organise training programmes under the EU Health Preparedness Training Programme that respond to the needs of prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) planners, managers and practitioners and address current gaps in EU Member States and EEA countries in relation to PPR planning. This EU Health Preparedness Training Programme complements existing training programmes developed and managed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EC's policy Departments (DGs), such as DG SANTE, DG HERA, DG ECHO and others, as well as joint actions, various EU-level projects, universities, training institutes and national institutions. The overall project vision is to strengthen PPR capacities for future public health emergencies within and across countries through training.
About EPIC11
The acronym EPIC11 (i.e. Emergency Preparedness Integrated Courses carried out under Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on serious cross-border threats to health (SCBTH) was coined to facilitate the referencing to this service contract during project implementation. The project focuses on providing prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) training on SCBTH in EU Member States and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The project was devised in response to the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) and Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) call for tenders HaDEA/2022/OP/0017 on ‘EU preparedness: analysis, planning, reporting and training programmes for health specialists’. One of the operational objectives is to strengthen PPR planning with targeted training and knowledge-exchange activities for healthcare and public health staff (Article 11 of the Regulation).
Consortium Partners
EPIC11 is implemented by a consortium comprising:
GFA Consulting Group GmbH (GFA)
KIT Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
Think Modular (TM)
What Does EPIC11 Do?
The project supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of national and EU preparedness plans through specialised training and knowledge exchange activities for healthcare and public health professionals. The project addresses gaps in preparedness planning and promotes resilience across Europe by:
- Building knowledge and skills for more resilient prevention and emergency management, and
- Enhancing communication, collaboration, and coordination within and between countries.
Key Activities of EPIC11
Assessing training needs: In 2023, a comprehensive training needs assessment was conducted with participation from 27 EU Member States and EEA countries, identifying gaps in public health prevention, preparedness, and response capacity.
Mapping existing programmes: An inventory of existing training programmes at both EU and national levels has been created and hosted on ECDC's Learning Portal.
Developing a training programme: The EU Health Preparedness Training Programme has been developed, including e-learning component (introductory level), five face-to-face courses at advanced level (on critical technical competency areas identified through the TNA, including: Policy and Governance; Emergency Operations and Response; Risk Communication and Infodemic Management; and Human Resources for Health Planning and Capacity Building), and two face-to-face courses at expert level focusing on simulation exercises. The courses are strategically designed to address both technical and thematic aspects of PPR for SCBTH.
Delivering trainings: Four pilot trainings were delivered in late 2024 to test and refine the programme. Twelve EU health preparedness trainings were conducted in 2025.
Facilitating collaboration: The project promotes cross-country collaboration through incubator workshops, exchange visits, and joint activities.
Why Participate in EPIC11?
By participating in EPIC11 events, you will:
Gain access to cutting-edge training tailored to your specific needs.
Enhance your capacity to manage public health emergencies.
Build stronger networks and share best practices with counterparts across Europe.
Get Involved!
We invite you to host and/or participate in our incubator workshops, national workshops, exchange visits, pilot trainings, and European health preparedness trainings.
For more information on the event formats, please click here, and to learn about upcoming events and how to get involved, please click here.