Skills building seminar: Building skills and capacity for a future health workforce

Abstract Background It is increasingly recognised that there is ‘no health without a workforce’ and that action has to be taken to develop an integrated and sustainable future health workforce. However, training and education opportunities are lacking for all those engaged in health workforce development. There is an urgent need for health systems and policy to foster skills building and institutional capacity for health workforce development to respond effectively to changing healthcare needs of the population and to the labour market shortages in many countries. Objectives This seminar will address these issues and help reducing the knowledge gaps. The seminar is arranged around for major topics: the WHO framework for action to guide health workforce planning and governance, the competences framework to strengthen the education and professionalisation of public health developed by the WHO Coalition of Partners and ASPHER, the internationalisation of health professional education using medical education in Romania as a case study, and finally a framework for strengthening health workforce research. The seminar aims to help PhD students and early career researchers to develop skills in the field of health workforce research and development. It also provides knowledge and tools for policymakers and practitioners who are responsible for health workforce education and governance. This seminar will promote the development of training programmes for health workforce research and thereby contribute to public health leadership in health workforce development. There will be ample time for discussion and teaching material will be made available for the participants. Key messages Building skills and institutional capacity is key to improve health workforce research and policy. People-centred care and universal healthcare coverage call for new skills and education programmes.