World Field Epidemiology Day 2025: Making our mark
Field epidemiologists play a crucial role in protecting populations and advancing global health security. This year’s World Field Epidemiology Day, held on 7 September, highlights the theme “Making Our Mark: Field Epidemiology in Action”, focusing on the concrete impact that field epidemiologists have in preventing, detecting, and responding to health threats.
"World Field Epidemiology Day reminds us of the extraordinary contribution of field epidemiologists in Europe and globally. Making our mark means not only responding effectively to outbreaks but also investing in the people and training systems that ensure we are better prepared for tomorrow’s threats", said Adam Roth, Head of the Fellowship Programmes at ECDC.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) supports field epidemiology through its Fellowship Programme, the Intervention Epidemiology Training path (EPIET) and the Public Health Microbiology path (EUPHEM), across EU and EEA countries. ECDC also oversees the Mediterranean and Black Sea Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (MediPIET), supporting European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries. These initiatives equip fellows with the skills to investigate outbreaks, strengthen surveillance systems, and provide the evidence decision-makers need.
Celebrated annually, World Field Epidemiology Day (#WorldFieldEpidemiologyDay #WFED) is a global movement to recognize and raise awareness of the vital role of field epidemiologists and to advocate for increased investment in training, research, and professionals. While the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented visibility to this field, it also revealed how much more sustained support is needed to strengthen health systems and ensure preparedness for future outbreaks. Policymakers across the globe are urged to implement strategies that empower the field epidemiology workforce, strengthening health systems and improving their capacity to respond to health emergencies, outbreaks, and pandemics.
First marked in 2021, World Field Epidemiology Day is coordinated by the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET), which includes the ECDC Fellowship Programme.
About the ECDC Fellowship Programme
The ECDC Fellowship Programme is a two-year competency-based training available to nationals of EU/EEA Member States. It offers two distinct paths: the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), focused on field epidemiology, and the European Public Health Microbiology Training Programme (EUPHEM), focused on public health microbiology.
Since its creation, the Fellowship has trained over 800 experts who now contribute to outbreak investigations, surveillance, and disease control across Europe and globally. Fellows are placed in training sites in EU/EEA countries, where they gain practical, hands-on experience under supervision, following the principle of learning by doing.
Graduates of the Fellowship are recognised as specialists in applying epidemiological and microbiological methods to provide evidence that guides public health interventions. The programme strengthens prevention, preparedness, surveillance, and response capacities, while also building networks of professionals who can collaborate across borders on common health threats.
The call for applications for the next Fellowship cohort will be launched soon, stay tuned!
