The Global EIOS Support Team (GEST) plays a vital role in the EIOS Initiative by offering support, collaboration, and information sharing to the EIOS Community of Practice (CoP) in implementing the initiative. The GEST consists of key stakeholders, including the EIOS Regional Office focal points, EIOS champions, and the EIOS Core Team (ECT). To strengthen relationships within the GEST, deep dive into the transition to EIOS system v2.0, connect on a number of training topics, and plan the implementation of key strategic initiatives, an in-person GEST meeting is proposed to take place in Berlin, Germany, from 5-7 February 2025.
Meeting Objectives
The meeting will focus on the following key objectives:
- EIOS System v2.0
The first half of day one will focus on the transition to the next-generation EIOS platform. EIOS v2.0 will introduce new features that improve usability, collaboration and data sharing. As the date of the roll out of v2.0 is currently not confirmed, this session will be planned in more detail once the timeline is confirmed to ensure that this time is best used. Discussions could center around: - Reviewing the key functionalities of EIOS v2.0, such as shared boards to enable cross community collaboration.
- Addressing technical challenges and identifying support needs for the transition from V1 to V2.
- Training Deep Dive
The second half of day one will focus on discussing a number of training topics, with a particular focus on training efforts for the transition to EIOS v2.0. Discussions will center around:
o Reviewing new EIOS Training Products to further strengthen the capacity of EIOS community members in using the EIOS System, including the new diversified EIOS Training offer, the training for the new EIOS v2.0 functionalities, as well as Public Health Intelligence (PHI).
o Sharing experiences on training for EIOS and troubleshooting challenges
o Group work to collaboratively rethink and define the future direction of training within the EIOS Initiative
- Strategy Implementation with a focus on experience sharing, sources and categories, cross community collaboration, evaluation mechanisms and advocacy
The second and third day will focus on experience sharing from GEST members and advancing several key initiatives of the EIOS 2024-2026 Strategy. These initiatives include further decentralizing work on adding and refining sources and categories, the concept of “Super Communities”, i.e. discussing how to increase collaboration within the EIOS initiative by fostering and supporting cross-community collaborative networks; brainstorming the development of standardized evaluation mechanisms; and pitching high-impact stories as a part of advocacy efforts. Specific objectives include: - Discussing how to foster collaboration and improve global PHI surveillance through Super Communities
- Drafting a framework and guidance for cross community collaboration.
- Identifying two pilot Super Communities to be launched in 2025.
- Prioritization of key impact/evaluation measurements
- Planned next steps for development of an evaluation mechanism and pilot validation
- Identification of two high impact stories to demonstrate the efficacy and contribution of the EIOS initiative to PH decision-making
