Shaping Europe’s health leaders: learnings from the Young Forum Gastein

Issue/Problem

Cross-country leadership programmes are widely used to strengthen the public health workforce and foster collaboration across countries. However, there is limited empirical evidence on their long-term impact on professional development, career trajectories, and contributions to health policy.

Description of the problem

This qualitative study explores the impact of Young Forum Gastein (YFG), a European early-career leadership programme, on the skills building and career development of health professionals over 19 years. A survey followed up by semi-structured interviews were conducted with YFG alumni from different cohorts and professional backgrounds. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key mechanisms of impact.

Results

Findings show that YFG contributes to professional development through three main pathways. First, it creates a “safe space” for developing leadership and communication skills, particularly in high-level policy environments. Second, it provides unique access to informal policy insights and exposure to European health governance processes beyond formal mechanisms. Third, it fosters long-term professional networks, including through “weak ties,” which facilitate future collaboration, career opportunities, and policy engagement. Participants highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer learning and inter-cohort exchange, as well as informal mentorship relationships that support career decisions. Cross-country and multi-stakeholder interactions were identified as a key added value, enabling a broader understanding across sectors and reducing barriers between stakeholders in health policy.

Lessons

Leadership programmes such as YFG can play a critical role in strengthening the public health workforce not only by building individual competencies but also by fostering multi-stakeholder professional communities. Sustained alumni engagement and structured post-programme activities may further enhance long-term impact.

Key messages

• Cross-country leadership programmes build skills, networks, and policy insight, shaping careers and strengthening collaboration within the wider public health ecosystem.

• The long-term impact of leadership programmes like YFG lies in building cross-country communities that enable collaboration, career advancement and engagement in health policy beyond the programme.