Deadline: 1 September 2026
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process of expressing interest, and the process of selection.
Background
ETAGE is an independent technical advisory body that serves as a forum for technical discussion and provision of advice to the WHO Regional Office for Europe and its Member States in areas related to immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases. ETAGE comprises six to eight experts (including a Chairperson) who have substantial relevant technical expertise and experience.
The Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization programme (VPI) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe serves as the Secretariat to ETAGE.
Functions of the ETAGE
ETAGE's aims and objectives are to:
- review the status of immunization services in the Member States of the Region;
- direct special attention to the progress being made towards the Region's vaccine-preventable disease control targets and objectives, especially identifying any constraints, obstacles and threats;
- make recommendations on operational aspects of immunization policies and strategies, as well as the incorporation of new scientific developments;
- make technical recommendations that will help to strengthen national and regional efforts to implement policies and strategies, and help to monitor progress towards set targets;
- serve as a forum for discussion on comprehensive introduction of additional, newly developed vaccines or other interventions promoting both child and adult health, using evidence to make recommendations;
- promote support for adequate and comprehensive surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases and for adverse events following immunization; promote understanding of and support for the European Immunization Agenda 2030 (EIA2030) goals and strategic priorities among national immunization technical advisory groups (NITAGs), national governments, technical institutions, professional associations and bilateral/multilateral and private agencies, including, where appropriate, by responding to anti-vaccination messages;
- advise on matters of special importance for submission to the WHO Regional Committee;
- serve as a forum for discussion on implementation of Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) recommendations within the regional context where appropriate.
Operations of the ETAGE
ETAGE meets annually, with additional meetings convened as required. In addition to attending meetings, ETAGE members are expected to actively participate in working groups, video and telephone conferences as well as e-mail exchanges with other members and the Secretariat. Review of documents may also be solicited. ETAGE members may be invited to participate in other meetings of the VPI programme of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
A report of each meeting is communicated to the Member States as well as posted on the Regional Office website.
Who can express interest?
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from experts in:
- epidemiology
- public health
- vaccinology
- immunology
- paediatrics
- internal medicine
- infectious diseases
- programme management
- immunization service delivery
- health economics
- behavioural science
- vaccine quality and safety.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for membership in the ETAGE please submit the following documents by 23:59h (CEST) on 15 September 2026 to mailto:euvaccine@who.int, using the subject line “Expression of interest - ETAGE”.
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore, do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer.
- Your curriculum vitae (including your nationality/ies).
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant(s) of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to euvaccine@who.int well before the applicable deadline.