On 19–20 February 2025, the PREPSHIELD consortium gathered in Athens, Greece, for its second Consortium Meeting, hosted by th ICCS team at the Royal Olympic Hotel. The two-day event brought together representatives from all 13 project partners, both in person and online, to review progress, align on next steps, and strengthen collaboration for the project’s critical second phase.
The meeting marked an important milestone as the consortium reflected on the first months of implementation and prepared for upcoming pilots and technological integration.
Day 1: Progress review and strategic alignment
The first day opened with a welcome from Project Coordinator Luca Ragazzoni, who set the tone for productive discussions ahead. The morning session focused on comprehensive updates from each Work Package, allowing leaders to present progress, highlight achievements, and address any challenges encountered.
Work Package leaders shared insights on:
WP1 – Individual, communal, societal, and institutional needs and barriers from past health crises
WP2 – Tools for crisis preparedness and management
WP3 – Pilots and iterative evaluation
WP5 – Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation
WP6 – Project Management, Data Management and Ethics
These presentations provided the consortium with a clear overview of where the project stands and what lies ahead. Following the coffee break, the Coordinator outlined key activities and deadlines for months 6-12, while Euroquality presented the Quality Management Plan and addressed financial aspects to ensure smooth operations.
The afternoon was dedicated to focused workshops. The Communication and Dissemination Workshop explored strategies for maximizing the project’s visibility and impact. Subsequently, WP1 and WP2 workshops allowed partners to dive deeper into specific technical and methodological questions, fostering collaborative problem-solving.
The day concluded with bilateral discussions, giving partners dedicated time to address specific tasks, share updates, and coordinate activities. The evening brought everyone together for a social dinner, strengthening the personal connections that underpin successful collaboration.
Day 2: Preparing for the pilots
The second day was entirely devoted to the upcoming table-top exercises and pilot organization. Led by WP3 and involving all relevant partners, this intensive workshop session focused on:
- Planning and logistics for the three tabletop exercises
- Stakeholder engagement strategies
- Integration of the PREPSHIELD platform and mobile app
- Training programmes and evaluation frameworks
These discussions were particularly timely, as the consortium prepared for the first local-scale tabletop exercise scheduled for Hamburg in the coming months. Partners shared best practices, discussed potential challenges, and ensured alignment on methodologies.
The meeting concluded with a General Assembly Wrap-up led by UPO, synthesizing key decisions and action points for the months ahead.
Looking ahead
The Athens Consortium Meeting demonstrated the consortium’s strong momentum and commitment to delivering innovative solutions for health crisis preparedness. With clear roadmaps established for the upcoming pilots, technological developments advancing, and communication strategies in place, PREPSHIELD is well-positioned to achieve its ambitious goals.
The consortium will reconvene later this year, following the implementation of the first tabletop exercises, to evaluate results and refine approaches for the remaining pilot activities.
Warm thanks to the ICCS team for this well-organised gathering !
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