VALIDATE Workshop - Becoming Drivers of Change for Vaccines in One Health - Apply to Attend as a Delegate

Taking place from 17–19 June 2026 in Cartagena, Colombia (ahead of the main VALIDATE Annual Meeting), this three-day, in-person workshop will bring together ~30 researchers from across the world for a practical, interactive programme that will help delegates become effective drivers of change for vaccines in One Health and develop skills that will benefit both their research and career development.

The workshop will:

explore how researchers can engage more effectively with communities, the general public, governments, funders and other stakeholders
consider how environmental perspectives can be better integrated into One Health research
share knowledge and best practice from across disciplines and settings
showcase inspiring case studies of innovative engagement projects and interdisciplinary collaboration
create space for networking, discussion, and the development of new connections and partnerships
support delegates to identify practical next steps for building change-focused activities into their own research

The workshop will provide both training and inspiring case studies to stimulate ideas and discussions. By the end of the workshop, delegates will be equipped with clearer ideas, practical tools, and have concrete next steps to strengthen the wider impact of their research and each become a driver for change for vaccines in One Health. VALIDATE will cover all travel/subsistence costs for delegates to be able to attend the workshop.

er ideas, practical tools, and have concrete next steps to strengthen the wider impact of their research and each become a driver for change for vaccines in One Health.

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Provisional Agenda - Subject to Change

Day One - Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Morning

Session 1 – Introductions

Aim: To ensure everyone knows who else is in the workshop, their experience, and what they hope to gain from it.

09:00-09:10 Welcome

09:10–10:25 Delegate Turbo Talks

All delegates will briefly introduce themselves, outline their research, and share their goals for the workshop.

10:25–12:00 A Day in the Life Talks

Afternoon

Session 2 – Environmental Health in One Health Research

Aim: To map zoonotic transmission systems and explore the environmental drivers that shape disease risk that we should be considering in our research.

13:00–13:45 Dr Natalia Cediel Becerra (Universidad de La Salle, Colombia) will be discussing an overview of the One Health framework.

13:45–14:15 Climate Adaptation and Forecasting - discussing climate adaptation and forecasting in the context of One Health research.

14:15–14:45 Dr Soledad Barandiaran (CONICET, Argentina) will be discussing environmental factors affecting disease transmission.

14:45–15:15 Prof Bassirou Bonfoh (Kenya) will be discussing livestock systems and the Afrique One-ASPIRE programme.

15:15–15:45 Break

15:45–16:00 Panel Q&A

16:00–16:35 Group Discussions

17:10 Close

Day Two - Thursday, 18 June 2026

Morning

Session 3 – Engaging Government and Funders

Aim: To equip researchers to engage with policy, funding, and implementation landscapes more effectively.

09:00–09:20 Dr Amanda Gibson (Aberystwyth University, UK) will be discussing practical approaches to influencing policy.

This will include how researchers can identify relevant policy frameworks, build relationships, and make their work more relevant to decision-makers.

09:20–09:50 Carlos Gouvea will be discussing a case study in working with government and influencing funders.

09:50–10:20 Prof Eamonn Gormley (University College Dublin, Ireland) will be discussing badger TB and policy engagement.

10:20–10:50 Dr Gill Black (SLF, South Africa) will be discussing a case study in working with government.

10:50–11:20 Break

11:20–11:40 Panel Q&A

11:40–12:20 Mapping Your Influence Landscape

This practical session will support delegates to identify the stakeholders, institutions, and systems most relevant to their own work.

Afternoon

Session 4 – Engaging Communities

Aim: To equip researchers to engage successfully with communities, the general public, and other stakeholders relevant to their research.

13:20–13:50 Prof Lynn Hendricks (Stellenbosch University, South Africa) will be discussing principles of community engagement.

This will include practical advice on engaging communities and the public.

13:50–14:20 Dr Cristian Segura-Cerda (CIATEJ, Mexico) will be discussing social media and TikTok as tools for engagement.

14:20–14:50 Break

14:50–15:20 Dr Katherine Parsons (Aberystwyth University, UK) will be discussing creative approaches to public engagement and behaviour change.

15:20–15:50 Dr Ernesto Jaramillo will be discussing global policy engagement and working with human health stakeholders and government.

15:50–16:05 Panel Q&A

16:05–16:45 Group Discussions

16:45 Close

Day Three - Friday, 19 June 2026

Morning

Session 5 – Distilling Your Research for Advocacy

Aim: To help delegates explain their research clearly and succinctly, and leave with practical advocacy tools such as an elevator pitch and policy-focused messages.

09:00–10:45 Reframing Your Research for Policy and Community

This training session, facilitated by Prof Lynn Hendricks and Dr Gill Black, will support delegates to rethink how they describe their research for non-specialist and policy audiences.

10:45–12:30 Designing Engagement Strategies

This practical session, facilitated by Prof Lynn Hendricks and Dr Gill Black, will help delegates begin designing engagement approaches for government, communities, and public audiences.

12:30–13:00 Elevator Pitch and Policy Brief Writing

Prof Lynn Hendricks and Dr Gill Black will lead a focused skills session on writing effective elevator pitches and policy briefs.

Afternoon

Session 6 – Becoming Drivers for Change

Aim: To support delegates to think about how change happens in practice, how behaviour can be influenced, and how they can develop concrete next steps for impact.

14:00–14:30 Dr Susana Flores-Villalva (INIFAP, Mexico) will be discussing her Directors’ Fund project as a case study.

14:30–15:00 Dr Simon Payne and Dr Katherine Parsons (Aberystwyth University, UK) will be discussing behaviour change and organisational strategy.

15:00–15:30 Post-workshop Accountability

This workshop, facilitated by Dr Simon Payne and Dr Katherine Parsons, will explore ways of sustaining momentum after the event and supporting delegates to follow through on their goals.

15:30–16:00 Individual Commitments and Outputs

Delegates will reflect on the workshop and identify practical next steps to each become drivers for change for vaccines for One Health.

16:30–17:00 Final Reflections and Next Steps

17:00 Close