ECDC launches ECDC Lighthouse, a Community of Practice for social and behavioural sciences in infectious disease prevention

ECDC Lighthouse will enable public health professionals and other stakeholders to connect, learn, and collaborate to address challenges in infectious disease prevention from a social and behavioural perspective. This includes enhanced efforts to prevent antibiotic resistance, vaccine-preventable diseases and diseases covered by the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Prevention is at the heart of tackling some of the most pressing health threats Europe faces. Unlocking the potential of social and behavioural sciences is vital if we are to engage people and their communities with public health. ECDC Lighthouse will enable practitioners across the EU/EAA to collaborate on new ways to empower people to make the right decisions to protect health.” says Pamela Rendi-Wagner, ECDC Director.

 A survey conducted by ECDC in 2021 revealed significant gaps in social and behavioural research capacity and geographical disparity in behavioural research across the EU. Additionally, the study revealed greater reliance on quantitative research rather than qualitative behavioural research. Finally, the survey also pointed towards low awareness of the potential added value of social and behavioural research in developing public health policies, programmes and communication, and identified a lack of structures to support its implementation.  

Building a dynamic, interdisciplinary network

In response, ECDC Lighthouse was developed as a cornerstone of ECDC’s reinforced mandate. ECDC Lighthouse aims to bridge knowledge gaps, support the translation of research to practice, and consolidate the EU/EEA’s public health responses through embedding social and behavioural sciences into policy and practice. Building on ECDC’s expertise in epidemiology and microbiology, the ECDC Lighthouse community will integrate social and behavioural sciences as a critical perspective in infectious disease prevention and response.

ECDC Lighthouse will provide a collaborative virtual environment where professionals working in infectious disease prevention in EU/EEA countries can interact with colleagues, share experiences, and access resources. Platform features include online training sessions, webinars, expert-led discussions, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities designed to build skills and drive innovation.

ECDC's objective is to build a dynamic, interdisciplinary network that empowers its members and strengthens the EU's collective resilience to infectious disease threats. By seeking to foster partnerships with national public health authorities, EU agencies and international health organisations, ECDC aims to position the ECDC Lighthouse Community as an essential part of its vision for a safer and more prepared Europe.