The Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, organized biennially by Health Systems Global (HSG), is the leading international gathering for health systems strengthening and health policy and systems research (HPSR). The symposium attracts academics, policymakers, funders and practitioners from over 110 countries to foster collaborations and advance knowledge in the field. In an exciting development, the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), American University of Beirut (AUB) —a WHO Collaborating Center for Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice—has been selected to co-host the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, HSR 2026. The event is scheduled to take place in Dubai, UAE, in November 2026, marking a significant milestone for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
HSR 2026 will be a unique opportunity for the global health systems and policy community to converge, build alliances, bridge regional and intellectual perspectives, and collectively strengthen health systems worldwide. At this pivotal symposium, collaboration will unlock new avenues for addressing the most pressing health challenges of our time.
The highly competitive bid to co-host the event was awarded to the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) in Dubai, and the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center at AUB in Lebanon. This achievement is a testament to the region's rising prominence and contributions to the field of health systems and policy and underscores K2P Center's reputation for translating HPSR into actionable policy, with a long track record of strengthening health systems in Lebanon, the region and globally.
K2P and MBRSG are bringing HSR 2026 to the Eastern Mediterranean Region at a time of increasing complexity in global health, marked by shifting geopolitics, resilience challenges in health systems, and the growing impacts of climate change on health, alongside emerging opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital health. As co-host, K2P will play a pivotal role in shaping the symposium theme and scientific program, collaborating closely with MBRSG to convene regional partners and ensure the successful delivery of the event. This leadership will ensure the symposium addresses pressing global and regional health challenges, providing a unifying platform for impactful dialogue and innovation in health systems and policy, while driving solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.