Workshop at Uppsala University: AMR and community engagement

2025-11-20

To mark World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW), we are happy to highlight some of the work being done in connection with WAAW. As an early start to the celebratory week, already on October 22, ReAct Europe gathered 20 Master’s students from the Infection Biology Program at Uppsala University for a workshop. The workshop explored how communities can contribute to addressing the growing global threat of antibiotic resistance and the students discussed possible solutions. This year’s workshop built on the success and strong engagement of previous years, continuing to strengthen student involvement in AMR action ahead of WAAW.

The workshop opened with presentations by ReAct’s Maria Pränting, Scientific Coordinator and Andrea Caputo Svensson, Global Health Advisor. They provided an overview of the global burden of antibiotic resistance and introduced the students to the concept of community engagement.

Two interactive exercises

The workshop combined lectures on antibiotic resistance and community engagement with two interactive exercises. The first focused on identifying challenges to community engagement on antibiotic resistance, such as limited public awareness, restricted access to education, and weak links between local initiatives and national policies. The second session centered on developing practical solutions to overcome these barriers.

Working in groups, the students brainstormed practical ideas from different stakeholder perspectives:

• from politicians
• from students
• from civil society organizations and
• from patients.

They emphasized creative communication, youth involvement, and community-driven awareness campaigns as key strategies for sustainable engagement.

Some proposed initiatives included:

• Establishing a national AMR-focused education program in schools, complemented by competitions to encourage awareness and participation.
• Co-creating media content with students to disseminate accurate and engaging information about AMR.
• Producing documentary materials led by university students in collaboration with independent studios to share global experiences on AMR.
• Expanding World AMR Awareness Week into a month-long campaign featuring diverse activities and cross-sector collaborations highlighted in national media.

The role of students in driving community-based action

The workshop also featured Dr Pablo Estrella Porter, representing the Quadripartite Working Group on Youth Engagement for AMR, who shared examples of youth-led initiatives and discussed the role of students in driving community-based action.

Reflections and takeaways

The workshop concluded with an open discussion where students shared reflections and key takeaways.

Many emphasized that addressing AMR requires not only scientific innovation but also enhanced community awareness, motivation, and political engagement.

The session closed on an optimistic note, with the student’s recognizing that meaningful progress to address antibiotic resistance will depend on empowering communities and young professionals alike. By expanding upon these student-led perspectives and fostering collaboration across sectors, future initiatives can help transform awareness into sustained, local-level action worldwide.