Joint training on policy design using epidemiological evidence with Massey University EpiCentre

From July 22 Wed to 23 Thu, 2026, a joint training workshop titled “Translating epidemiological evidence for policy design” was held at the Rakuno Gakuen University (in a hybrid format), in collaboration with Massey University EpiCentre, New Zealand, for young government officials, researchers, and graduate students from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Asia-Pacific Members.

The School of Veterinary Medicine at the Rakuno Gakuen University and EpiCentre at the Massey University have been designated as the WOAH Collaborating Centres for Food Safety, and Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health, respectively; they have been commissioned by the WOAH to undertake capacity building for personnel of WOAH Members and inter-center networking.

 This training program was a new initiative designed in response to requests—raised during a veterinary epidemiology training course held at the Rakuno Gakuen University in 2023—for training on policy formulation utilizing published epidemiological papers and epidemiological survey results. This training program was supported by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

From EpiCenter, Center Director Professor Naomi Cogger and Researcher Dr. Masako Wada visited Rakuno Gakuen University and paid a courtesy visit to the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Head of the Department (Photo 1). For the training, participants engaged in group work—conducted both in-person and online—using a total of eight research papers: the first day focused on animal health, and the second on food safety. They worked enthusiastically to formulate policies by comprehensively utilizing diverse epidemiological evidence (Photos 2 and 3).