Support for the functioning of the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R)

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a confronting reality-check of the potential extent of threats posed by new or emerging infectious diseases. The pandemic overwhelmingly confirmed that to fight such international challenges, global collaboration and coordination is crucial. The Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R)[[https://www.glopid-r.org/]] was established in 2013 for this reason, in response to a request for coordination by the Heads of International Research Organisations. Years on, GloPID-R now provides a widely recognised platform for infectious disease research funders to work together to better tackle severe epidemics such as Ebola or Zika, as well as global pandemics such as COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic response illustrated the value added by GloPID-R, by enabling coordination between funders and with relevant global actors such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI); or by promoting exchanges and synergies between funded researchers. Ongoing efforts with the network include reflections on improved data sharing during outbreaks, creating links between clinical trial networks, addressing specificities of research in low and middle-income countries, and the inclusion of social sciences into the research response to public health emergencies.

Proposals should foresee administrative and technical support through a secretariat to maintain, but above all to support GloPID-R’s continuous evolution for an optimal value added.

Proposals are expected to cover all of the following activities:

• Provide administrative and organisational support to the Chair and Vice Chairs of GloPID-R, in close collaboration with the European Commission;
• Provide strong scientific support on topics requested by the GloPID-R Chairs, scientific advisors or (working) groups;
• Facilitate the work of the scientific advisors, ISG and GloPID-R working groups, using earlier experience in research preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks;
• Manage information dissemination and communication between the Chairs, Members, Scientific Advisors, Industry Stakeholder Group (ISG), working groups, enquiries, and outside stakeholders;
• Reinforce GloPID-R’s external communications activities, such as the website and newsletter, as requested by the Chairs;
• Submit an annual work plan to the Commission each year following the annual meeting of GloPID-R, taking into account the conclusions of the annual meeting.
• Ensure a high level of adaptability to respond to rapidly evolving situations, following the guidance of the Chairs of GloPID-R.