We attend the WHO leadership course on healthy ageing in Bilbao
The training, organised in collaboration with the Nagusi Intelligence Center, brought together 40 professionals and public policy makers from across Europe.
Biosistemak took part in the Leadership Course on Ageing is Living: Unlocking the Potential of Population Ageing 2026, an international leadership course organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, in collaboration with the Nagusi Intelligence Centre of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the WHO/Europe Division of Health Systems. The course took place in Bilbao from 13 to 15 May 2026 and brought together 40 institutional representatives, technical staff and leaders—at regional, national and local levels—including policymakers and professionals involved in the development or implementation of policies and programmes in sectors that influence healthy ageing and long-term care.
Representing our Institute was Yhasmine Hamu, a researcher and European project manager, who took part in this space for learning and reflection alongside a diverse group of professionals from fields such as long-term care, urban planning, housing, transport, communication and social innovation.
The training forms part of the development of the WHO’s European Strategy “Ageing is Living: Promoting Health and Well-being Throughout Life (2026–2030)”, one of the five strategic priorities of the second European Programme of Work (EPW2). This strategy addresses the demographic challenge of the rapidly ageing population in the European Region, where people are living longer than ever before, though not always in good health, and seeks to bridge the gap between longevity and well-being by promoting longer, healthier and more equitable lives.
Four areas of action
Over the course of the three-day event, the programme combined plenary sessions, leadership panels and participatory activities aimed at strengthening leadership skills, systems thinking and the capacity for coordinated action across sectors. The sessions addressed four main areas of action: lifelong health promotion and prevention, the transformation of health and care systems, the creation of environments that facilitate healthy ageing, and the fight against ageism, promoting a balanced and positive narrative on age and ageing.
The first day of the course concluded with an institutional reception at the Bizkaia Provincial Palace, organised by the Bizkaia Provincial Council, which highlighted the shared commitment to healthy ageing as a priority for public health, social welfare and governance. Throughout the course, the importance of collaboration between public administrations, the scientific community, civil society and older people was emphasised, with a view to transforming the challenges of ageing into opportunities for well-being, social cohesion and innovation.
Biosistemak’s participation in this course reinforces its commitment to research, knowledge generation and support for evidence-based public policies aimed at improving the health and well-being of the population throughout the life cycle, as well as to promoting comprehensive and cross-sectoral approaches to the challenges of an ageing population.
