As health emergencies continue to grow in complexity, from pandemics to conflicts and natural disasters, the need for public health professionals to expand their skill sets has never been greater. Among the emerging competencies, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into negotiation strategies is offering promising new possibilities to enhance real-time decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and conflict resolution. Building workforce capacities in this area is particularly critical for mid- to senior-level health professionals working in fragile, conflict-affected, or rapidly evolving settings.

Recognizing the significance of this skill set, and as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen public health capacities and promote professional public health education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), EMPHNET collaborated with the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies to offer a specialized course on AI-Enhanced Negotiation in Health Emergencies.

To introduce this new opportunity, EMPHNET hosted an orientation seminar titled “Opportunities for Professional Public Health and Humanitarian Education: Cases from and for the EMR” on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

This virtual event not only introduced the newly launched course but also spotlighted the International Academy of Public Health (IAPH) as a successful model for sustainable capacity-building in public health. It further provided a platform to explore emerging approaches and collaborations aimed at advancing public health and humanitarian education in the region.

Participating experts included Mr. Claude Bruderlein, Senior Lecturer at the Geneva Center of Humanitarian Studies, University of Geneva, and Prof. Yousef Khader, Director of the Center of Excellence for Applied Epidemiology, EMPHNET. The session was moderated by Dr. Haitham Bashier, EMPHNET’s Director of the Public Health Emergency Management Center.

During the seminar, Mr. Bruderlein introduced the Advanced Course on AI-Enhanced Negotiation in Health Emergencies, presenting its structure, intended learning outcomes, and relevance to public health and humanitarian crisis management. He further emphasized how the integration of AI into negotiation and communication processes can strengthen coordination, improve decision-making, and support more effective responses during health emergencies.

Following this, Prof. Khader presented the work of IAPH, sharing its vision, comprehensive training programs, and growing regional impact. He highlighted IAPH’s role in supporting professional development, fostering innovation, and offering learning opportunities that address the evolving needs of public health professionals in the EMR and beyond.

The seminar also fostered valuable engagement, offering a platform for public health professionals, educators, and institutions to exchange ideas and explore new avenues for collaboration. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment moderated by Dr. Bashier, where participants shared reflections, posed questions, and offered insights on the topics presented.

Over 300 public health professionals attended the seminar, demonstrating strong regional interest in advancing professional public health education.

You can watch the full seminar