The overall aim of this course is to strengthen capacity in the application of scientific principles and concepts to inform and influence policy making decisions related to the prevention and control of communicable diseases among public health specialists in Member States of the European Union (EU) and of the European Economic Area (EEA). 

This includes knowledge of retrieval, analysis and appraisal of evidence from all data sources so that participants can make an informed decision about its quality and relevance for their work, and building participants’ skills in designing knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) strategies to support evidence-informed decision making (EIDM). 

The course will bring together country experts to exchange experiences, views and gain skills on how to inform policy makers in relation to detection, preparedness, assessment and control of public health threats with a cross-border dimension at the EU-level in the area of communicable disease prevention and control. It focuses primarily on the process of gathering and communicating a body of evidence, rather than the process of taking decisions based on this evidence.