The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Advancing Clinical Evidence in Infectious Diseases (ADVANCE-ID) Network jointly organised the ADVANCE-ID Clinical Trial Workshop 2026, held from 31 August to 2 September 2026 in Singapore. The workshop contributed to wider capacity-strengthening efforts through the Global Clinical Trials Forum (GCTF), bringing together researchers from different regions to strengthen practical skills in the design and conduct of high-quality clinical trials.
ADVANCE-ID is based at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore (NUS). NUS, represented by the School and ADVANCE-ID, is a founding member of the GCTF and contributes expertise and capacity to support stronger clinical trial ecosystems.
Putting WHO guidance into practice
The two-and-a-half-day workshop brought together 77 participants, including clinicians, clinician-scientists and researchers, supported by an international faculty of clinical trial specialists.
The workshop provided an opportunity to translate the WHO Guidance for best practices for clinical trials into practical learning. Sessions covered the clinical trial journey from developing robust research questions and selecting appropriate study designs to statistical methods, trial feasibility and implementation, public engagement, dissemination of results and research funding.
Participants also completed the WHO Good Practices for Clinical Trial Design and Implementation online course in preparation for the workshop, connecting WHO’s self-paced learning offer with practical application to real-life trial design and peer learning.
During the workshop, participants worked in mentored groups with clinical trial specialists, statisticians and public engagement experts to develop and refine research ideas. They concluded by presenting research proposals in brief pitch sessions and receiving feedback from expert faculty.
Discussions also addressed challenges affecting clinical trials in low- and middle-income countries, including research infrastructure, regulatory and ethical processes, diagnostic and site capacity, equity and inclusion, and public engagement.
Improving inter-regional capacity development
Cross-regional participation was a key feature of the workshop. With WHO support, 10 participants nominated by the WHO Regional Office for Africa attended the workshop. They included clinical investigators, project implementers, lecturers and trial platform managers from institutions in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia. Their participation brought experience from diverse clinical research settings and enabled exchange on common and context-specific challenges.
A clinician-researcher from Kazakhstan also attended, selected from alumni of the Summer School on Clinical Research, held in June–July 2026 with WHO support. The workshop provided an opportunity to continue that engagement and connect national capacity-strengthening activities with a wider international clinical trial community.
Bringing together participants from Africa, Asia and Europe supported shared learning, strengthened professional connections and created opportunities for continued collaboration across countries and regions.
Continuing capacity strengthening
Learning will continue beyond the workshop. ADVANCE-ID and WHO are also supporting Advancing Clinical Trials: a statistical guide, a free modular seminar series designed to help non-statisticians understand key statistical concepts underpinning clinical trial design and analysis.
Collectively, these activities illustrate how GCTF members can contribute practical expertise, training and cross-regional knowledge exchange to strengthen clinical trial ecosystems.
ADVANCE-ID was also recently designated as a WHO collaborating centre for clinical trials, providing an additional mechanism for continued collaboration with WHO.
The work contributes to implementation of World Health Assembly resolution WHA75.8 on strengthening clinical trials, the WHO Guidance for best practices for clinical trials and the Global action plan for clinical trial ecosystem strengthening.
