Beijing, August 13, 2025 — The Global Development and Health Communication Center (GDHCC) at the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, has officially joined the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), becoming the first university-based organization in mainland China to do so. This milestone marks a new chapter in the Center’s international collaboration in global public health emergency response and health communication.

Launched by WHO in 2000, GOARN brings together more than 300 institutions worldwide to coordinate rapid, cross-border responses to public health emergencies, mobilize technical expertise and personnel to support frontline outbreak control, and strengthen countries’ emergency preparedness and response capacities. GOARN has played a pivotal role in major health crises, including SARS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

As a new member, GDHCC will leverage its expertise in global health and development communication to support GOARN in:

· Risk communication and public engagement – Designing and refining communication strategies during outbreaks to ensure timely, accurate, and transparent information delivery;

· Cross-cultural communication and media collaboration – Facilitating multilingual, multi-platform health information dissemination to build public understanding and trust;

· Communication capacity building – Providing media and risk communication training and advisory support to strengthen outbreak response communication;

· Health education and community engagement – Offering science communication strategies to raise public awareness, improve health literacy, and promote community participation in prevention efforts.

Drawing on Tsinghua University’s broad academic strengths, the Center will also act as a focal point, connecting GOARN to a wider network of experts and research resources.

This membership not only recognizes the Center’s professional capabilities but also strengthens its role as a policy think tank and opens new opportunities for Tsinghua University to advance global health cooperation. Moving forward, GDHCC will continue to use communication as a bridge to help global partners build a safer and more resilient public health system.