The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region ASPHER

Overview

The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) is an independent, Brussels‑based international professional organisation dedicated to strengthening public health education, training, research and policy across the WHO European Region. Originally founded in 1966 in Belgium, ASPHER now brings together more than 120 member schools and institutes of public health from over 50 countries across Europe—making it the leading regional network for public health academia.

According to uniRank, ASPHER is recognised in listings of Belgian higher‑education organisations and plays a key role in representing institutions engaged in public health education and research across Europe.

History and Legal Framework

ASPHER traces its roots back to 1966, when it was established under the French-language name AIRESSPE (Association des Institutions Responsables pour l’Enseignement Supérieur de la Santé Publique en Europe). It was formally incorporated thereafter as a working group of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in the mid-1970s.

Under Belgian law (Law of 27 June 1921, Title III), ASPHER is legally constituted as an association internationale sans but lucratif (AISBL). Its statutes specify:

• Establishment of registered office in Brussels, Belgium;
• Unrestricted duration (no fixed end date);
• Decision-making rules via General Assembly and Executive Board;
• Compliance obligations for dissolution and winding‑up procedures.

This legal structure ensures ASPHER’s formal independence from governments and intergovernmental agencies, while enabling formal recognition and operational stability within the European legal framework.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

ASPHER’s declared vision is of a healthier, more equitable world built through strengthening the public health workforce. Its mission centres on:

• Supporting public health education and training at all academic levels;
• Promoting evidence‑based research, service and policy-making;
• Advocacy for high standards of professional competence across institutions;
• Fostering collaboration, exchange and innovation among member schools.

Key strategic objectives include:

1. Establishing a European reference framework for core public health competences (updated via its Core Curriculum Programme since 2006);
2. Advancing the professionalisation of the public health workforce, including work on the “Professionalisation Road Map” with WHO;
3. Supporting Bologna‑compliant public health postgraduate programmes, especially Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees;
4. Facilitating quality assurance and curriculum innovation across member schools.

Governance, Structure and Independence

Governance is exercised through a democratically elected General Assembly (one vote per full member), which appoints an Executive Board and President (typically 2-year terms). The Secretariat, based in Brussels, administers daily operations, communications and project coordination.

Membership categories are:

• Full members: Public health schools or research institutes located within the WHO European Region, eligible to vote;
• Associate members: Organisations with links to public health education (within or outside Europe), generally without voting rights;
• Candidate members: Institutions under evaluation for full membership, who may participate in certain activities but cannot vote.

As a non‑profit association under Belgian law, ASPHER maintains formal independence from public authorities while collaborating closely with national governments, inter‑governmental agencies (e.g. WHO Europe, European Commission) and sectoral stakeholders. Funding comes primarily from membership fees, EU grants and project income.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation in Higher Education

In 2011, after nearly 25 years of preparatory activity, ASPHER helped launch the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA). While APHEA is legally separate, ASPHER remains a principal founding member and the agency’s key European partner.

APHEA’s role includes:

• Accrediting MPH and BSc public health programmes, as well as public health schools and institutes;
• Implementing structured peer-review site visits and evaluation criteria;
• Operating a Quality Improvement & Development Service (QIDS), which supports candidate schools to meet accreditation requirements through expert feedback;
• By end of 2022, APHEA had accredited over 160 courses, programmes or institutions across all six WHO world regions.

ASPHER itself maintains a Core Curriculum Programme (launched in 2006) that guides member schools in curriculum design using the European List of Core Public Health Competences. This programme plays a central role in standardising higher education across Europe and ensuring compatibility with accreditation work.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

ASPHER is a global player in public health academic collaboration. Key elements include:

• Partnership in the Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH), alongside sister regions in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Arab countries;
• Participation in numerous EU funded projects and thematic networks—such as Climate Action through Public Health Education and Training, Diversity & Intersectionality in PH education, Migration & Health Training Actions and Joint Action on Health Information;
• Collaboration with other European networks, including EUPHA, EHMA and EuroHealthNet;
• Active coordination with WHO Europe, in particular for workforce professionalisation and essential public health operations (EPHOs).

These partnerships reinforce ASPHER’s role in shaping global public health education agendas and enhancing cross-border harmonisation of professional standards.

Current and Future Impact on Higher Education

ASPHER’s influence in European higher education continues to grow, evidenced by:

• Integration of ASPHER‑recommended core competencies into MPH and bachelor curricula across member institutions;
• Widened adoption of APHEA accreditation standards and QIDS for programme quality assurance;
• Growth in mobility and recognition of graduates across European university systems, aligned with Bologna reforms;
• Expansion of capacity‑building in countries with emerging public health programmes (often through Erasmus+ or WHO‑backed initiatives);
• Strengthening public health curricula in key emergent domains—such as climate & health, infodemiology, global health diplomacy and diversity awareness;
• Active advocacy on policy frameworks, especially post‑COVID professionalisation and preparedness.

Looking forward, ASPHER is shaping public health training to meet 21st‑century challenges—digitalisation, climate change, global pandemics—and is driving standardisation of educational quality across Europe and beyond.

Summary

In summary, the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) is a legally independent, Brussels‑based AISBL founded in 1966. It serves as the primary European network for public health schools and institutes, with a powerful mission to improve education, competence and professional identity in public health. Through leadership in core competency development, accreditation (via APHEA), international projects and strategic partnerships, ASPHER plays a central role in harmonising and strengthening public health higher education across the WHO European Region.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is ASPHER?
   ASPHER is the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region, a membership organisation based in Brussels that represents public health education institutions in Europe, promoting quality, competence standards, accreditation and workforce development.
2. How many institutions are members of ASPHER?
   ASPHER represents over 120 full member schools and institutes across more than 50 countries within the WHO European Region, along with associate and candidate institutions globally.
3. How can a school or programme join ASPHER?
   Institutions engaged in public health education or training can apply for membership in one of three categories. Schools located within WHO Europe may apply as full members; others may join as associate or candidate members. Membership involves statutory approval and annual fees.
4. Is ASPHER an accreditation body?
   No—ASPHER is not itself an accreditation agency. However, it is a founding partner of APHEA (the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation), which accredits public health programmes. ASPHER provides expertise, frameworks and support services that align with APHEA standards.
5. What are ASPHER’s core public health competences?
   ASPHER maintains a European List of Core Competences for the Public Health Professional, first developed in 2006 and regularly updated. These competences cover areas such as epidemiology, ethics, policy, leadership, communication, climate health, equity and more.
6. Where is ASPHER located?
   ASPHER is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium and is legally registered under Belgian association law (AISBL). Its Secretariat runs day‑to‑day operations from this location.
7. Is ASPHER independent of governments or the WHO?
   Yes—ASPHER is legally and constitutionally independent, governed by its own statutes, Executive Board and membership assemblies. While it collaborates closely with WHO Europe and EU institutions, it remains institutionally separate.

Organization Name

The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region

Acronym

ASPHER

Year of Establishment

1/01/1966

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

International

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

over 100

Address

Avenue de l'Armée / Legerlaan 10
Bruxelles
1040 Brussels Belgium

Phone

+32 (2) 735 0890

Fax

+32 (2) 229 5383

Albania

• Department of Public Health - Tirana
  Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine
  Tirana

Armenia

• Gerald & Patricia Turpanjian School of Public Health - Yerevan
  American University of Armenia
  Yerevan

Austria

• Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna
  Medical University of Vienna
  Vienna
• Department of International Health and Social Management - Innsbruck
  MCI Management Center Innsbruck
  Innsbruck
• Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and HTA - Hall
  UMIT - The Health and Life Sciences University
  Hall
• Research and Innovation Center for Public Health and Health Services Research
  Paracelsus Medical University- Private Foundation
  Salzburg
• School of Public Health - Graz
  Medical University of Graz
  Graz

Belgium

• Department of Public Health Sciences - Liege
  Faculty of Medicine, University of Liege
  Liege

Bulgaria

• Faculty of Public Health
  Medical University of Pleven
  Pleven
• Faculty of Public Health
  Medical University of Plovdiv
  Plovdiv
• Faculty of Public Health
  Medical University of Sofia
  Sofia
• Faculty of Public Health
  Medical University of Varna
  55, Marin Drinov Str. ; 9002 Varna

Croatia

• Andrija Stampar School of Public Health
  University of Zagreb School of Medicine
  Zagreb

Cyprus

• Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health
  Cyprus University of Technology
  Limassol
• Public Health Program
  European University Cyprus
  Egkomi
• University of Nicosia Medical School
  University of Nicosia
  Nicosia

Czech Republic

• Faculty of Health Sciences
  Palacký University Olomouc
  Olomouc
• Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
  Palacký University Olomouc
  Olomouc
• School of Public Health
  Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education
  Prague

Denmark

• Department of Public Health
  University of Aarhus
  Aarhus
• Department of Public Health
  University of Copenhagen
  Copenhagen

Estonia

• Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health
  University of Tartu
  Tartu

Finland

• Health Sciences Unit
  Tampere University
  Tampere
• Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition
  University of Eastern Finland
  Kuopio
• Laurea University of Applied Sciences
  Laurea University of Applied Sciences
  Vantaa

France

• EHESP School of Public Health
  N/A
  Rennes
• ISPED School of Public Health
  University of Bordeaux
  Bordeaux
• School of Public Health
  University of Lorraine
  Nancy

Georgia

• East European University
  East European University
  Tbilisi
• International School of Public Health
  Tbilisi State Medical University
  Tbilisi
• School of Health Sciences, University of Georgia
  University of Georgia
  Tblisi

Germany

• Academy of Public Health
  N/A
  Düsseldorf
• Berlin School of Public Health - Charité
  Medical University of Berlin - Charité
  Berlin
• Centre for Applied Health Sciences
  Leuphana University of Lüneburg
  Lüneburg
• Department for Nursing and Health Sciences
  Fulda University of Applied Sciences
  Fulda
• Department of Health Sciences
  Dresden University of Technology
  Dresden
• Department of Social Work and Health
  University of Applied Sciences
  Emden - Leer
• Duesseldorf School of Public Health
  Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University
  Duesseldorf
• Faculty 11: Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen
  Faculty of Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen
  Bremen
• Faculty of Health, Safety, Society - Applied Health Sciences
  University of Applied Sciences
  Furtwangen
• Faculty of Life Sciences
  University of Applied Sciences
  Hamburg
• Institute of Applied Research
  Protestant University of Applied Sciences
  Ludwigsburg
• Institute of Public Health
  Heidelberg University Hospital
  Heidelberg
• NRW Centre for Health (LZG.NRW)
  N/A
  Bochum
• Pettenkofer School of Public Health
  Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich
  Munich
• School of Public Health
  University of Bielefeld
  Bielefeld

Greece

• Department of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences
  University of Thessaly
  Karditsa
• National School of Public Health
  N/A
  Athens

Hungary

• Faculty of Public Health
  University of Debrecen
  Debrecen

Iceland

• Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland
  University of Iceland
  Reykjavik

Ireland

• School of Public Health
  University College Cork
  Cork
• School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science
  University College Dublin
  Dublin

Israel

• Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine
  Hebrew University-Hadassah
  Jerusalem
• School for Health Professions bachelor degree program in Public Health
  Ashkelon Academic College
  Ashkelon
• School of Public Health, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
  Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
  Beer-Sheva
• School of Public Health, University of Haifa
  University of Haifa
  Haifa

Italy

• Board of Directors of the Italian Postgraduate Schools of Hygiene and Public Health
  Societa Italiana di Igiene, Medicina Preventiva e Sanita Pubblica (Sltl)
  Rome
• Centre for Training and Research in Public Health
  N/A
  Caltanissetta - Sicily
• Postgraduate School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Milan
  Universita degli Studi di Milano
  Milan
• School of Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
  Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome
  Rome
• School of Public Health, University of Pavia
  University of Pavia
  Pavia
• School of Public Health, University of Pisa
  University of Pisa
  Pisa
• School of Public Health, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele
  University Vita-Salute San Raffaele
  Milan

Kazakstan

• Institute of Public Health and Professional Health of Karaganda Medical University
  Karaganda Medical University
  Karaganda
• Kazakhstan School of Public Health
  N/A
  Almaty
• Kh. Dosmukhamedov School of Public Health
  S. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University
  Almaty

Kosovo

• National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo
  N/A
  Pristina

Latvia

• Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences
  Riga Stradins University
  Riga

Lithuania

• Department of Public Health
  University of Klaipeda
  Klaipeda
• Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
  Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
  Kaunas
• Institute of Public Health
  University of Vilnius
  Vilnius

Macedonia

• Centre for Public Health
  Ss. Cyril and Methodius University
  Skopje

Malta

• Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta
  University of Malta
  Msida

Moldova, Republic of

• Department of Epidemiology
  State University of Medicine and Pharmacy Nicolae Testemitanu
  Chisinau
• School of Public Health Management
  State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”
  Chisinau

Montenegro

• Institute of Public Health
  N/A
  Podgorica

Netherlands

• Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health
  University of Groningen
  Groningen
• Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
  University of Maastricht
  Maastricht
• Netherlands School of Public and Occupational Health
  NSPOH
  Utrecht

Norway

• Department of Community Medicine
  UiT The Arctic University of Norway
  Tromso

Palestinian Territory

• Faculty of Public Health, Al-Quds University
  Al-Quds University
  East Jerusalem
• Public Health Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
  An-Najah National University
  Nablus

Poland

• Collegium Prometricum - The Business School for Healthcare
  Prometriq Management Academy in Sopot
  Sopot
• Department of Public Health and Social Medicine
  Medical University of Gdansk
  Gdansk
• Faculty of Health Sciences
  Poznan University of Medical Sciences
  Poznan
• Faculty of Health Sciences
  Wroclaw Medical University
  Wroclaw
• Faculty of Public Health
  Medical University of Silesia
  Katowice
• Institute of Public Health
  Jagiellonian University
  Krakow
• NIPH Public Health Training Centre
  N/A
  Warsaw
• Powiślański University
  Powiślański University
  Kwidzyn
• Public Health Division
  Medical University of Warsaw
  Warsaw
• School of Public Health (SZP)
  Center of Postgraduate Medical Education (CMKP)
  Warsaw

Portugal

• Department of Public Health and Forensic  Sciences and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine
  University of Porto
  Porto
• Institute of Health Sciences
  Portuguese Catholic University
  Lisbon
• Institute of Preventive Medicine
  University of Lisbon
  P1649-028, Lisbon
• Institute of Public Health
  University of Porto
  Porto
• Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical
  Universidade Nova de Lisboa IHMT/NOVA
  Lisbon
• National School of Public Health
  New University of Lisbon
  P-1600-560, Lisbon

Romania

• Department of Public Health and Health Management, University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Carol Davila
  University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Carol Davila
  Bucharest
• Department of Public Health, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University
  Babes-Bolyai University
  Cluj-Napoca
• National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development
  N/A
  Bucharest

Russian Federation

• Arkhangelsk International School of Public Health
  Northern State Medical University
  Arkhangelsk

Serbia

• Faculty of Medical Sciences
  University of Kragujevac
  Kragujevac
• Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina
  N/A
  Novi Sad
• School of Public Health and Health Management
  University of Belgrade
  Belgrade

Slovakia

• Faculty of Public Health
  Slovak Medical University
  Bratislava

Slovenia

• Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care
  N/A
  Jesenice

Spain

• Andalusian School of Public Health
  N/A
  Granada
• Faculty of Health Sciences
  Public University of Navarra (UPNA)
  Pamplona
• Master Program of Public Health and Health Management
  University of Valencia
  Valencia
• National School of Health (ENS). Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII)
  N/A
  Madrid
• Valencian School of Health Studies (EVES)
  N/A
  València

Sweden

• Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute
  Karolinska Institutet
  Stockholm
• Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
  Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg
  Gothenburg
• Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences
  University of Skövde
  Skövde
• Division of Community Medicine
  University of Linkőping
  Linkőping
• the Swedish Red Cross University
  the Swedish Red Cross University
  Huddinge

Switzerland

• Institute of Global Health
  University of Geneva
  Geneva
• Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
  8001 Zürich

Turkey

• Koç University School of Medicine
  Koç University
  Istanbul

United Kingdom

• Cambridge Institute of Public Health
  University of Cambridge
  Cambridge
• College of Health, Psychology & Social Care, University of Derby
  University of Derby
  Derby
• Department of Public Health and Policy
  University of Liverpool
  Liverpool
• Faculty of Education Health & Wellbeing
  University of Wolverhampton
  Wolverhampton
• Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London
  University College London
  London
• Global Public Health, Department of Health Sciences, University of York
  University of York
  Heslington
• Institute of Primary Care and Public Health
  University of Wales
  Cardiff
• Lifespan and Population Health, School of Medicine
  University of Nottingham
  Nottingham
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  University of London
  London
• Middlesex University
  Middlesex University
  London
• Public Health and Wellbeing Research Group
  University of the West of England
  Bristol
• School of Health and Related Research
  University of Sheffield
  Sheffield
• School of Health Sciences
  University of Salford
  Salford
• University of Chester Department of Public Health and Wellbeing
  University of Chester
  Chester
• Usher Institute
  University of Edinburgh
  Edinburgh

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