title: In search for a public health leadership competency framework to support leadership curriculum-a consensus study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Competency-based education is increasingly popular, especially in the area of continuing professional development. Many competency frameworks have been developed; however, few address leadership competencies for European public health professionals. The aim of this study was to develop a public health leadership competency framework to inform a leadership curriculum for public health professionals. The framework was developed as part of the Leaders for European Public Health project-supported by the EU Lifelong Learning Programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in three phases: a literature review, consensus development panel and Delphi survey. The public health leadership competency framework was initially developed from a literature review. A preliminary list of competencies was submitted to a panel of experts. Two consensus development panels were held to evaluate and make changes to the initial draft competency framework. Then two rounds of a Delphi survey were carried out in an effort to reach consensus. Both surveys were presented through Survey Monkey to members of the Association of the Schools of Public Health in the European Region Working Group on Innovation in Public Health Teaching and Education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The framework was developed consisting of 52 competencies organized into eight domains: Systems Thinking; Political Leadership; Collaborative Leadership: Building and Leading Interdisciplinary Teams; Leadership and Communication; Leading Change; Emotional Intelligence and Leadership in Team-based Organizations; Leadership, Organizational Learning and Development and Ethics and Professionalism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The framework can serve as a useful tool in identifying gaps in knowledge and skills, and shaping competency-based continuing professional development leadership curricula for public health professionals in Europe.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of International Health, CAPHRI, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands kasia.czabanowska@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Czabanowska
authors.affiliation: 2 Centre for Leadership in Health and Social Care, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Educational Development and Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands 4 Graduate School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Könings
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Research, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Linas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sumskas
authors.affiliation: 6 The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otok
authors.affiliation: 7 Faculty of Medicine, Centre School of Public Health and Management, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bjegovic-Mikanovic
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of International Health, CAPHRI, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D003697:Delphi Technique; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D011361:Professional Competence; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*