Applications Call EV4GH 2026 open until 20 March!

What is the Emerging Voices for Global Health training program?

Emerging Voices for Global Health (EV4GH) is an innovative multi-partner blended training program for promising and emerging health policy & systems researchers, decision-makers, knowledge-brokers, implementers and other health system actors with the passion and potential to become influential global health voices and global/ local change makers.

EV4GH coaches Emerging Voices (EVs) to participate in global health platforms, raise their voices in scientific and policy debates, contribute to solving global health problems and improving health conditions. The EV4GH program is managed by an internationally representative governance committee consisting of EV alumni elected by previous EV4GH participants and several invited (liaison) members from EV partner institutes. EV4GH became a Thematic Working Group (TWG) of Health Systems Global (HSG) in 2015 and was reconfirmed as a TWG in 2021 and 2025.

The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp first initiated the Emerging Voices program. Currently, this is largely an alumni and partner institutes-driven initiative with an aim to empower health professionals particularly from the Global South by providing intensive skills training and facilitating their participation in global health events. EV4GH coaches “Emerging Voices (EVs)” to participate on global health platforms and raise their voices in scientific and policy debates. 

What is the EV4GH 2026 training program?

The EV4GH 2026 venture aims to expand the global network with new Emerging Voices from across the world, specifically, historically underrepresented countries and regions. The 2026 call comes at a moment when global health is shaped by overlapping crises that undermine hard-won gains and expose the limits of established expertise. We are seeking applicants with diverse experiential and disciplinary backgrounds who can bring grounded, context-sensitive perspectives and who are prepared to question prevailing assumptions in order to reimagine how global health problems are framed and addressed.

The venture is a blended learning program and consists of a 4-week distance learning phase, followed by a 2-week face-to-face phase held prior to the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in November 2026. It uses innovative methods and activities to enable emerging global health change agents, including health systems and policy researchers, policymakers and implementers, practitioners and other actors to not only to elevate emerging voices but to support them in generating concrete ideas for reform and practical solutions to persistent global health challenges.

In addition, the global EV alumni and facilitator network provides opportunities for networking and learning across contexts and regions. After the venture, EVs become members of the EV4GH thematic working group and can then join other thematic working groups of HSG.

What does the EV2026 venture offer to participants? 

• A structured space for critical discussions around the current global health agenda, including global health reform, power and politics, and other related topics through exchanges with senior global health experts and peers, leading to the co-production of solution-oriented outputs such as reform proposals.
• Practical training on power-sensitive stakeholder engagement, leadership, diplomacy, communication and dissemination, and policy advocacy relevant to emerging global health professionals.
• Access to global health networks, including 400+ EV alumni and institutional partners
• High-level mentorships from leading global health actors.
• Attendance at the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research and Health Systems Global (HSG) membership.
• Present and engage in a pre-conference with invited senior researchers and policymakers.

Who is eligible to apply?

The 2026 venture will accept applications through two application tracks: -

• Track 1: Researchers involved in health policy and systems research (researchers track), and
• Track 2: Health professionals, activists, policymakers, knowledge brokers, health journalists, and other health system actors (other health system professional track).

Applicants may apply to only one track. Either the researcher track or the non-research health professional track. This helps ensure that each cohort reflects distinct yet complementary perspectives.

In addition, all applicants must have been born on or after 1st January 1986.

Track 1: Researchers’ track

This track aims to attract applications from emerging researchers involved in health policy and systems research. Applicants must also submit an abstract for the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and have the following:

• Early (2-5 years work experience) to Mid (5-10 years work experience) career professionals
• A Master’s degree in health or a health-related field, or be enrolled in a doctoral-level program in health or a health-related field
• Demonstrate active involvement in health policy and systems research at the local, national, or global level

Track 2: Other health system actors track

This track targets other emerging health professionals, activists, policymakers, knowledge brokers, health journalists, and other professionals working in health systems. Applicants must fulfill all of the following:

• Early (2-5 years work experience) or mid (5-10 years work experience) career professionals
• A bachelor’s degree
• One of the following:

  • Demonstrate active involvement in an implementation or practitioner or advocacy or decision-making role within health services or a health system, OR
  • Have experience in strengthening health systems within their local/national health systems as an activist, health journalist, or patient advocate or otherwise be involved in advancing health systems strengthening, health equity and social justice in their setting

Tracks 1 & 2:

• The EV4GH venture is in English. Participants need to have a reasonable command of the English language (written and spoken) to participate. All documents needed for the application should be in English (or have English translation (see below)).
• Focus will be on applicants from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Candidates from high-income countries are also welcome to apply if they have demonstrable relevant experience in LMICs, or are currently working with marginalized groups on health equity issues in any country. Please see the Scholarship details at the end of the call.
• Accepted participants should be able to participate in the training program in full. This includes participation and presence in both the distance e-learning phase and the face-to-face phase in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Applicants who cannot participate in full and can undertake only part of the program will not be eligible to participate.
• For this venture, we encourage participants from the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMRO) and countries underrepresented in the EV network to apply.

Deadline for submission: 20 March 2026 ((11 pm GMT+6) at the latest. If you have any queries/ questions, please contact the EV4GH Secretariat at [email protected].

More information available here. 

The ITM Alumni Network promotes alumni participation to the EV4GH 2026 venture through travel grants. We strongly incite all ITM alumni eligible under tracks 1 & 2 to submit an abstract. The decision to award a travel grant will be made by the scientific committee based on the quality, originality and relevance of the submitted abstract. Travel grants will only be awarded to alumni being a resident and national of a country on the most recent version of the OECD/DAC list of ODA recipients.