5th to 16th January 2026, Online.
The HELP Course offered by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has been recognized globally for over 25 years as a leading training ground for humanitarian professionals. Originally developed in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), HELP was designed to bring public health principles into the heart of humanitarian response.
In today’s world of protracted crises, forced displacement, and climate-related disasters, the HELP course is more relevant than ever. It equips doctors, nurses, policymakers, and humanitarian workers with the tools to navigate complex emergencies where health, ethics, human rights, and logistics must come together. Whether taken online or in-person, the course remains a benchmark in humanitarian health education and is dedicated to equipping professionals with the skills to respond to disasters, conflicts, and other large-scale crises using a public health lens.
What You’ll Learn in the HELP Course
The HELP curriculum blends theoretical knowledge with practical exercises. Participants explore:
- Disaster epidemiology and surveillance in emergencies
- Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems critical for survival
- Managing communicable and non-communicable diseases under crisis conditions
- Nutrition and food security for displaced populations
- Mental health and psychosocial support, including trauma care
- Humanitarian law, ethics, and principles guiding international response
- Coordination and leadership in relief operations
The course is taught through lectures, interactive group discussions, and case studies. In the Geneva edition, a field simulation day challenges participants to apply what they’ve learned under realistic conditions (University of Geneva program).
Who Should Apply?
HELP attracts a multidisciplinary audience: physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, logisticians, policymakers, protection officers, and humanitarian leaders. Many participants already have field experience and seek to refine their ability to make evidence-based, ethical decisions in crisis settings.
The course is ideal for professionals working with NGOs, UN agencies, governments, or academic institutions, as well as for those preparing for humanitarian deployment. Strong English skills are required, and participants are expected to engage actively in discussions and group work.
How to Apply
Applications typically involve submitting a CV and short motivation statement to the course organizers. For the Johns Hopkins virtual edition, details and contact information are available directly on the Hopkins HELP website . For the Geneva program, registration is handled through the University of Geneva.
Early application is encouraged, as places are limited and the course regularly attracts participants from across the world.
Why H.E.L.P Is Unique
Unlike many humanitarian trainings that focus narrowly on logistics or clinical care, HELP integrates public health, ethics, law, and systems thinking. Graduates leave with a deeper capacity to plan, coordinate, and evaluate humanitarian responses in diverse crises — from armed conflict to natural disasters.
The course’s long history and global recognition make it a powerful credential, often opening doors to leadership roles in NGOs, UN agencies, and ministries of health. Alumni consistently describe it as a turning point in their humanitarian careers.
Dates: Duration: For more information and detailed program visit the website.
5th to 16th January 2026 (online)
11–22 May 2026, Geneva, Switzerland (in person)
Two weeks (plus preparatory modules for online)
Published in GI-Mail 10/2025 (English & German edition).
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