Articles / WHO Leadership Courses: Global Health Leadership Training
Development, Training & CoachingExplore WHO leadership courses and programmes. Learn about global health leadership training, public health certification, and WHO Academy offerings.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Wed 31st December 2025
The World Health Organization (WHO) offers comprehensive leadership courses designed to develop the next generation of global health leaders. These programmes—spanning primary healthcare leadership, public health transformation, and health workforce management—address the critical shortage of qualified leaders capable of navigating complex health system challenges.
WHO leadership courses combine evidence-based learning with practical application, preparing participants to champion health equity, promote social justice, and strengthen health systems globally. With programmes available across multiple regions and delivery formats, WHO provides accessible pathways for health professionals seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities.
The World Health Organization delivers several distinct leadership programmes, each targeting specific aspects of health system leadership:
| Programme | Focus Area | Duration | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership for Health Programme | Public health leadership gap | 4 weeks | Intensive residential |
| Pathways to Leadership for Health Transformation | Senior WHO staff and Ministry officials | Variable | Blended learning |
| Strengthening Primary Health Care Leadership | PHC system leadership | 80 hours | Online via WHO Academy |
| European Public Health Leadership Course | Public health competencies | 1 week | Residential |
| Health Workforce Leadership and Management | Workforce strategy | Variable | Blended learning |
| Global Leadership Course on Public Mental Health | Mental health priorities | 1 week | Residential |
These programmes share common objectives: developing leaders capable of transforming health outcomes, strengthening evidence-based decision-making, and building resilient health systems.
WHO's leadership investment responds to documented gaps in public health leadership capacity. Effective health systems require leaders who combine technical expertise with management capability, strategic vision with operational discipline.
Factors driving WHO leadership development:
As WHO states, these courses aim to "strengthen public health professionals' leadership competencies" and build "a new breed of agile leaders for whom learning and self-reflection constitute their ways of working."
The Leadership for Health (LfH) Programme represents a joint collaboration between the World Health Organization and Harvard School of Public Health. Initiated by the Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, this programme addresses public health leadership gaps through intensive development.
Programme characteristics:
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Duration | Approximately four weeks |
| Format | Intensive residential programme |
| Target participants | Senior public health professionals |
| Academic partner | Harvard School of Public Health |
| Regional focus | Eastern Mediterranean region (with expansion) |
The programme's first round launched in January 2015 and has since expanded to serve multiple regions. Its Harvard partnership brings academic rigour alongside practical health system application.
Participants develop capabilities across multiple leadership dimensions:
Core competency areas:
The programme emphasises learning through case studies drawn from actual health system challenges, enabling participants to apply concepts immediately upon return to their roles.
Since its inception in 2018, the Pathways to Leadership for Health Transformation Programme has served over 250 senior WHO staff from different regions, plus more than 150 senior Ministry of Health officials from countries including Congo, Benin, Ghana, Niger, and Lesotho.
Participant profile:
The programme's tri-regional approach—bringing together participants from African, Eastern Mediterranean, and European offices—creates cross-cultural learning opportunities whilst building international networks.
The Transformation Programme focuses specifically on health system transformation—preparing leaders to guide organisations through fundamental change rather than incremental improvement.
Distinctive elements include:
| Feature | Application |
|---|---|
| Action learning | Participants work on actual transformation challenges |
| Peer coaching | Cross-regional peer support during and after programme |
| Senior faculty | WHO and partner institution leadership directly engaged |
| Follow-up support | Post-programme coaching and network maintenance |
| Outcome orientation | Focus on measurable health system improvement |
The programme's emphasis on "learning and self-reflection" as ways of working distinguishes it from traditional training approaches that treat development as discrete events rather than ongoing practice.
The Strengthening Primary Health Care Leadership course represents WHO's comprehensive online offering for primary healthcare leaders. This 80-hour programme, aligned with WHO's vision for people-centred, resilient, and sustainable health systems, develops leaders capable of championing health equity.
Course specifications:
The course empowers leaders to "champion health equity, promote social justice and uphold the right to health for all"—connecting leadership development directly to WHO's core mission.
The curriculum addresses the full scope of primary healthcare leadership:
Module areas include:
Each module combines conceptual learning with practical exercises, enabling participants to apply insights within their specific contexts.
Since 2022, WHO's European Regional Office has delivered specialised public health leadership courses through its Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens, Greece. The programme builds capacity across WHO/Europe Member States.
Programme history:
| Year | Location | Partner Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Italy | Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) |
| 2023 | Bordeaux, France | University of Bordeaux |
| 2024 | Multiple locations | Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ukraine hosts |
The programme's expansion to multiple countries reflects both growing demand and WHO's commitment to accessible leadership development.
The European Public Health Leadership Course focuses on three integrated dimensions:
1. Enhancing Competencies
Participants develop practical leadership capabilities including strategic communication, stakeholder management, change leadership, and evidence synthesis.
2. Embracing Values
The programme grounds leadership development in public health values: equity, universality, solidarity, and human rights. Technical skills without ethical foundation prove insufficient for public health leadership.
3. Empowering Evidence-Based Decisions
Participants learn to translate research evidence into policy and practice, bridging academic knowledge with operational reality.
The course's explicit integration of values with competencies reflects recognition that effective public health leadership requires both capability and commitment.
WHO/Europe launched its Health Workforce Leadership and Management course to help government decision-makers build and maintain thriving, resilient health workforces. The programme addresses critical workforce challenges including shortages, maldistribution, and retention.
First edition participants came from:
These countries face common workforce challenges that require leadership capable of developing long-term solutions whilst managing immediate pressures.
The programme addresses the full spectrum of health workforce leadership:
Core content areas:
Participants learn to address these challenges through strategic leadership rather than reactive management—developing systems that build workforce sustainability.
The Global Leadership Course on Public Mental Health represents WHO's specialised offering for mental health leaders. Held in collaboration with the University of Geneva's Spring School in Global Health, this programme strengthens leadership capacity for addressing mental health priorities globally.
Programme details:
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Location | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Duration | Five days |
| Partner | University of Geneva (UNIGE) |
| Focus | Public mental health leadership |
| Level | Senior mental health professionals |
The programme's Geneva location enables direct engagement with WHO headquarters expertise whilst its university partnership provides academic rigour.
Mental health represents one of global health's most significant challenges, yet leadership capacity remains insufficient in many contexts. The programme addresses this gap by developing leaders capable of:
Participants leave equipped to lead mental health system transformation within their national contexts.
WHO Academy serves as the organisation's digital learning platform, delivering courses including leadership development programmes to global audiences. The platform enables scaled access to WHO expertise regardless of geographic location.
Platform features:
The Academy represents WHO's commitment to democratising access to health leadership development, extending opportunities beyond those able to attend residential programmes.
Digital delivery offers specific advantages for leadership development:
| Advantage | Application |
|---|---|
| Flexibility | Participants learn whilst maintaining responsibilities |
| Accessibility | Geographic and financial barriers reduced |
| Scalability | Many more leaders can be reached |
| Self-pacing | Learners progress according to individual needs |
| Repeatability | Content can be revisited as needed |
However, online learning also presents limitations—particularly for leadership development's relational and experiential dimensions. WHO addresses this through blended approaches combining digital content with synchronous interaction and practical application.
Eligibility varies by programme, but common criteria include:
General eligibility factors:
Many programmes prioritise participants from low- and middle-income countries, reflecting WHO's equity commitments.
Application processes vary by programme:
Typical application steps:
WHO Academy courses may offer more streamlined enrolment than residential programmes, which require competitive selection.
WHO leadership programmes provide multiple benefits:
Individual benefits:
Organisational benefits:
Health system benefits:
WHO assesses leadership programme effectiveness through multiple mechanisms:
| Measure | Application |
|---|---|
| Participant satisfaction | Post-programme evaluation surveys |
| Competency assessment | Pre/post measurement of capabilities |
| Behaviour change | Follow-up assessment of practice changes |
| Organisational impact | Evaluation of workplace improvements |
| System outcomes | Long-term health system indicators |
This comprehensive evaluation approach ensures continuous programme improvement whilst demonstrating value to stakeholders.
WHO offers multiple leadership courses including the Leadership for Health Programme (with Harvard), Pathways to Leadership for Health Transformation, Strengthening Primary Health Care Leadership (80-hour online course), European Public Health Leadership Course, Health Workforce Leadership and Management, and Global Leadership Course on Public Mental Health. These programmes target different aspects of health system leadership and serve participants from senior health professionals to ministry officials.
Application processes vary by programme. Generally, you should identify the appropriate programme for your needs, review eligibility criteria, prepare required documents (CV, endorsement letters, motivation statement), and submit through programme-specific channels. WHO Academy online courses may have more accessible enrolment, whilst residential programmes typically require competitive selection. Check specific programme websites for current application procedures and deadlines.
Costs vary by programme. Some WHO leadership courses, particularly those targeting specific regions or priority areas, may be fully funded for eligible participants. Others may require fees or organisational sponsorship. WHO Academy online courses may be available at no or low cost. Check specific programme information for current fee structures and potential funding sources.
Eligibility varies by programme but typically includes current position in health system leadership, organisational endorsement, English language proficiency, and capacity to complete programme requirements. Many programmes prioritise participants from low- and middle-income countries. Specific programmes may have additional criteria related to seniority, sector, or geographic region.
WHO Academy is the World Health Organization's digital learning platform, delivering courses including leadership development programmes to global audiences. The platform provides competency-based learning focused on practical application, with WHO Academy certificates upon completion. It enables scaled access to WHO expertise regardless of geographic location, complementing residential programmes.
Duration varies significantly by programme. The Strengthening Primary Health Care Leadership course comprises 80 hours of online learning. The European Public Health Leadership Course runs approximately one week. The Leadership for Health Programme spans approximately four weeks. Shorter intensive programmes may run several days, whilst comprehensive leadership journeys may extend over months with blended delivery.
WHO leadership courses cover topics including strategic thinking, change management, evidence-based decision-making, stakeholder engagement, health equity, workforce development, quality improvement, digital health, governance, and personal leadership capabilities. Specific programmes emphasise particular topics—PHC courses focus on primary care leadership, whilst mental health courses address mental health system transformation.
The World Health Organization's leadership courses represent a comprehensive investment in health system capacity. By developing leaders across multiple dimensions—from primary healthcare to mental health, from workforce management to system transformation—WHO addresses the leadership gaps that limit health system effectiveness.
These programmes share common principles: evidence-based learning connected to practical application, values-grounded development that integrates equity and rights, and network-building that creates lasting professional relationships. Whether delivered through intensive residential experiences or extended online learning, WHO courses aim to develop leaders capable of transforming health outcomes.
For health professionals seeking to enhance leadership capabilities, WHO programmes offer globally recognised development pathways. The combination of WHO expertise, academic partnerships, and practical focus creates learning experiences that translate directly into improved leadership practice.
The health challenges facing every nation—from pandemic preparedness to workforce sustainability to equity achievement—require capable, committed leadership. WHO's leadership courses contribute to building this essential capacity, one leader at a time, creating the human infrastructure that effective health systems require.
As WHO emphasises, these programmes aim to nurture "a new breed of agile leaders for whom learning and self-reflection constitute their ways of working." In an era of continuous change and increasing complexity, this development orientation—treating leadership growth as ongoing practice rather than discrete achievement—may prove the most valuable lesson of all.