The Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) assigns to the Organization the function to promote and conduct research in the field of health. As early as 1949, the Second World Health Assembly established the principle that WHO should advance research not by creating its own international research institutions, but by coordinating, supporting and making use of the expertise of existing institutions worldwide. This vision led to the development of the WHO Collaborating Centres system, which for over seven decades has served as a mechanism to mobilize the scientific and technical capacity of institutions around the world in support of WHO and its Member States.
Over time, the WHO Collaborating Centres network has evolved into a global community of academic, technical and public health institutions contributing expertise, research, training, laboratory services and technical advice to advance WHO’s programmes. The strength of this mechanism lies in the scientific and professional capacity of participating institutions and their collective commitment to supporting WHO’s work in addressing shared global health challenges.
At a time when global health systems face growing challenges, including the impact of reductions in global health financing, sustained international cooperation and strong multilateral institutions remain essential to protect and promote health worldwide. WHO plays a unique role in coordinating global health action, setting norms and standards, and supporting countries in addressing shared health challenges. But this is only possible thanks to over 800 WHO Collaborating Centres that act as key technical partners of the Organization across the world.