A major new initiative aimed at strengthening Southeast Asia’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats has launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today. The Pandemic Institute supports the five-year programme as a UK academic and technical partner, helping to connect and coordinate experts from across the UK.

The ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership Programme (HSP), part of a new strategic partnership between The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Kingdom, is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and will provide grants and peer exchange awards for projects in the ASEAN region which can improve health systems, enhance access to healthcare and strengthen ASEAN capacity to respond to new threats, like the health impacts of climate change. HSP will also support expert partnerships between institutions in ASEAN and other parts of the world, including the UK, enabling the exchange of knowledge and joint development of innovative solutions.

Acting as a UK academic and technical partner, The Pandemic Institute will help to connect and coordinate experts from UK universities, research teams, government agencies, and policy makers — to support HSP. We will also support the design and implementation of the Peer Exchange Platform, which will help share knowledge and expertise, and will also assist with HSP’s grants facility.

Robert Rosenthal, Senior Programme Leader for the ASEAN-UK HSP Programme:

“With their collaborative ethos and links to both UK and global partners, The Pandemic Institute offers world-class training, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building for public health professionals and institutions. The HSP consortium is delighted to have such a valuable collaborator supporting ASEAN and UK efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats more effectively.“

By focussing on issues such as pandemic preparedness, emerging disease and health system resilience, HSP will mobilise UK and Global South expertise to tackle shared challenges and respond to the needs of ASEAN countries.

Professor Calum Semple OBE, Senior Technical Advisor for the programme on behalf of The Pandemic Institute, attended initial planning meetings in Jakarta:

“I’m proud that The Pandemic Institute in Liverpool is taking a leading role in strengthening regional and global health security. By sharing knowledge and building stronger ties between UK and ASEAN public health communities, we can better prepare for the challenges ahead.

This programme brings together partners across the ‘One Health’ spectrum to tackle some of the most pressing threats of our time—from emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential, to antimicrobial resistance and the need for resilient health systems. These are areas where Liverpool has world-leading expertise and a long track record of collaboration and innovation.”

Professor Tom Solomon CBE, Director of The Pandemic Institute

“We are proud to be a consortium partner in this vital initiative, which will strengthen health systems and improve preparedness for future health threats across Southeast Asia. The ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to reduce the impact of pandemics globally through collaboration, innovation and capacity building.”

The new health programme is a major aspect of the new ASEAN-UK Plan of Action (2022–2026) and reinforces the UK’s role as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner and its support for ASEAN’s health priorities.

The ASEAN-UK HSP programme is led by FHI 360 UK and includes The Pandemic Institute, Itad and the Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN).

You can read more on the programme here: ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership Programme – FHI 360 UK