The Pan-European Leadership Academy (ELA) is a multilevel initiative to build and enhance transformational leadership for country impact.  The programme aims to: 

• advocate for transformational leadership competencies for health in research, policy and practice;
• strengthen human resources for health in the WHO European Region by providing structured opportunities for learning and professional development within WHO/Europe;
• create a network of trained health professionals to support and advance the European Programme of Work through strengthened health systems in the Region;
• enhance knowledge and insight into health systems challenges and operations at country level within WHO/Europe;
• provide a vehicle for practical dialogue between the regional and country levels in priority technical areas;
• assist in addressing the issue of under-representation of some European Region Member States in international governmental organizations over time.

When fully operationalized, ELA will comprise 3 tiers. Tier 1, aimed at early career public health and health professionals, comprises experiential learning placements with WHO/Europe coupled with internal and external learning opportunities. Tier 2 is targeted towards mid-career professionals in ministries of health and institutes of public health, with a focus on peer-to-peer exchange. Tier 3 will support high-level decision-makers, with structured support for the exchange and scaling up of nationwide and sustainable health system and public health innovations. 

Officially launching ELA at the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, on 13 September 2021, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, stated: “We need health leaders in policy, health leaders in research, health leaders in education and health leaders in practice”. 

ELA is being developed using a demonstration project approach, with the first Tier 1 demonstration project completed in October 2022 and the Tier 2 demonstration project commencing in November 2022. Both projects will be fully evaluated with reporting to the Member States of the European Region through governing body structures. To support the scale-up of the Academy, and based on the learning from demonstration projects, competency and evaluation frameworks are at an advanced stage of development.