Updated ecdc core competencies in applied infectious disease epidemiology: Processes, outcomes and opportunities for international academic collaboration

Workshop context In 2008 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published Core competencies for public health epidemiologists working in communicable disease surveillance and response. There followed Core competencies for infection control and hospital hygiene professionals (2013); Core competencies for vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation (2017); and Core competencies on public health emergency preparedness (2017). The COVID-19 pandemic identified the need to Update ECDC Core Competencies in Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (UCCAIDE) to capture developments in diagnostic methods, understanding transmission dynamics, genomic analysis, disease modelling and vaccinology. Workshop specific aims/objectives This workshop will profile the PROCESSES and OUTCOMES of UCCAIDE. OPPORTUNITIES for collaboration to harmonise and advance public health education transnationally will be proposed and POTENTIAL USES of UCCAIDE will be discussed. Workshop component parts * UCCAIDE PROCESSES: A steering group comprising ASPHER (Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region) Executive Board and COVID-19 Task Force members, ECDC Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and selected experts undertook a comprehensive literature review of competency frameworks from ASPHER, ECDC, CDC, OECD, PAHO and WHO to develop a preliminary set of core competencies. Qualitative interviews with 42 nominated experts, supplemented by workshops with the ECDC TAG, contributed to early revisions. A survey designed using the preliminary version was distributed to public health professionals in Europe and beyond. Further revisions based on 212 responses and consultation resulted in an agreed competency framework. * UCCAIDE OUTCOMES: The final set of core competencies for applied infectious disease epidemiology was published in April 2022 in all European languages (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/competencies-appliedepidemiologists-now-available-all-eueea-languages [1]). The framework consists of 157 competencies organised in 23 domains, mapped to 6 subject areas (A-F). The subject areas, to be described in the Workshop, are: A: Essential methods for applied infectious disease epidemiology (4 domains/28 competencies); B: Preparedness, surveillance and response to infectious disease outbreaks (3 domains/29 competencies); C: Communication and advocacy (4 domains/25 competencies); D: Practice of infectious disease epidemiology (5 domains/34 competencies); E: Contextual influences on infectious disease management (4 domains/21 competencies); F: Leadership and management (3 domains/20 competencies). * OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION ARISING FROM THIS WORKSHOP: To facilitate use of the competency framework a self-assessment tool (SAT) developed by ECDC permits individuals to analyse their proficiency in each competency and to access training resources, if desired. The strengths, limitations and opportunities for using the S-AT will be profiled. A pilot project of its application in a 2022/23 Master of Public Health class will be described as a prelude to a potential collaborative project between Schools of Public Health. The objectives of the project will be to identify proficiency levels of students, thereby highlighting public health education components that contribute well to proficiency levels and those for which improvement and development may be advisable. * POTENTIAL USES OF THE UPDATED ECDC COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK, e.g. individual proficiency assessment; training needs-assessment in public health schools and programmes; professional development planning; potential uses in accreditation; job description development; and the complementarity of ECDC UCCAIDE with other frameworks e.g. ASPHER and UK Faculty of Public Health, will be discussed.Links:–––––[1] https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/competencies-applied-epidemiologists-now-available-all-eueea-languages"