UCL and WHO Sign MoU to Strengthen Collaboration on Learning Health Systems

University College London (UCL) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening global collaboration on learning health systems, evidence-informed policymaking, and health system innovation, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries.

The agreement formalizes cooperation between the UCL Global Business School for Health (GBSH) and WHO’s Science Division and marks an important step in the establishment of the Centre for Global Health Systems and Policy at UCL.

The new centre is expected to serve as a major international platform bringing together research, education, leadership development, and global partnerships to help countries build more adaptive, equitable, and evidence-driven health systems.

Partnership Focuses on Evidence and Health System Innovation

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by UCL and WHO to improve how scientific evidence is generated, translated into policy, and applied within health systems.

The MoU establishes a flexible framework for cooperation across three major areas:

• Capacity strengthening and leadership development

• Research and knowledge generation

• Development of methods and best practices for evidence-informed policymaking

The institutions say the initiative is particularly important as countries face increasingly complex health challenges requiring faster, more effective, and more evidence-based decision-making.

The partnership will place strong emphasis on supporting low- and middle-income countries, where health systems often face resource constraints, workforce shortages, and growing public health pressures.

New UCL Centre to Support Global Health Systems

A central element of the collaboration is the launch of the Centre for Global Health Systems and Policy at UCL.

The centre will focus on strengthening learning health systems — systems capable of continuously adapting and improving through the systematic use of evidence, data, and real-world experience.

According to UCL, the centre will bring together:

• Academic research

• Policy expertise

• Health systems leadership

• International partnerships

• Capacity-building initiatives

The goal is to help countries improve health outcomes by strengthening how health systems learn, innovate, and respond to emerging challenges.

Professor Kabir Sheikh, Director of the Centre for Global Health Systems and Policy at UCL Global Business School for Health, said the partnership creates a strong foundation for long-term collaboration.

“This Memorandum of Understanding provides a foundation for a sustained collaboration between the UCL Global Business School for Health and WHO on learning health systems and the use of evidence in policy,” he said.

Impact Fellowship Programme Already Underway

One of the first initiatives under the new partnership is the UCL Impact Fellowship programme, which is already working with WHO’s Science for Health Department.

The programme brings health systems leaders from low- and middle-income countries into WHO processes, enabling them to contribute directly to the implementation of global research agendas.

According to UCL, the initiative aims to strengthen leadership capacity while also improving how research findings are translated into practical policy action.

Professor Sheikh noted that the collaboration is already helping develop broader programmes focused on improving evidence use and supporting health system innovation globally.

Joint Research on WHO Global Research Agendas

An early outcome of the partnership has been collaborative work examining how WHO-led global research agendas are implemented and sustained after publication.

UCL Impact Fellows contributed to a multi-case comparative analysis exploring the effectiveness of global research agenda implementation processes.

The work produced a draft report titled:

“Beyond Agenda-Setting: Lessons from the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of WHO Global Research Agendas.”

The report analyzes experiences across multiple health domains and proposes practical approaches to improve:

• Follow-through after agenda publication

• Institutional anchoring of research priorities

• Monitoring and evaluation systems

• Long-term implementation effectiveness

WHO and UCL say this early collaboration demonstrates the broader ambition of the partnership — generating practical lessons that can directly inform both WHO operations and wider global health policy practices.

WHO Emphasizes Closing the Gap Between Evidence and Action

WHO officials highlighted the importance of partnerships between academic institutions and international organizations in improving health policy and system performance.

Dr Meg Doherty, Director of Science for Health at WHO, said stronger collaboration is essential for ensuring that scientific evidence leads to meaningful action.

“Partnerships such as this are essential to closing the gap between evidence and action,” Doherty said.

She pointed to WHO’s Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet), which works to connect scientific leadership, health systems, and policymaking processes to improve decision-making and health outcomes.

According to Doherty, WHO’s role as a convener becomes stronger through partnerships with institutions such as UCL.

Responding to Rapidly Changing Global Health Challenges

WHO Chief Scientist Dr Sylvie Briand emphasized that modern health systems must become more flexible and responsive in a rapidly evolving global environment.

“In a rapidly evolving global context, health systems must be able to adapt swiftly and efficiently, without exacerbating resource constraints, particularly in low- and middle-income countries,” Briand said.

She noted that the partnership will strengthen WHO’s ability to support countries in translating scientific knowledge into effective policy responses.

WHO believes stronger learning health systems are essential for dealing with:

• Emerging infectious diseases

• Climate-related health threats

• Demographic changes

• Technological transformation

• Growing healthcare demands

• Future public health emergencies

UCL Highlights Innovation and Global Collaboration

Professor Nora Colton, Director of UCL Global Business School for Health, said the collaboration combines WHO’s global leadership with UCL’s strengths in research, innovation, and education.

“By combining WHO’s global leadership with UCL Global Business School for Health’s focus on innovation, research and education, we aim to strengthen how evidence is used in policy and to accelerate health system innovation to improve outcomes globally,” she said.

The institutions say the partnership will help bridge gaps between academic research, practical policymaking, and real-world health system implementation.

Three-Year Agreement with Scope for Expansion

The Memorandum of Understanding is expected to run initially for three years, with the possibility of extension and additional programme agreements as the collaboration evolves.

Future areas of cooperation may include:

• Collaborative global health research

• Expanded training and leadership programmes

• Policy advisory work

• Technical support for countries

• Development of learning health system methodologies

Both organizations say the agreement is designed to remain flexible so it can respond to changing global health priorities and emerging opportunities.

Supporting More Equitable and Resilient Health Systems

Ultimately, the partnership aims to strengthen how health systems around the world learn, adapt, and improve over time.

WHO and UCL say the collaboration will contribute to:

• More evidence-informed policymaking

• Stronger institutional learning

• Improved health system resilience

• Greater equity in healthcare

• Better responses to complex health challenges

As countries continue facing growing public health pressures and rapid global change, the organizations believe partnerships focused on evidence, innovation, and adaptive learning will become increasingly important for improving global health outcomes.