What is the BVBD course in France?

The BVBD course in France is a satellite summer-school of the original BVBD course, which is organized annually by the IHHE (Institute for Health in the Human Ecosystem) of the University of Idaho. This satellite course will facilitate the growing international participation in the BVBD course while minimizing the environmental impact of travel to the course.

The overall mission of the BVBD courses is to create a knowledge network for a diverse community of practitioners that persists, grows, and transforms the science and interventions for plant, animal, and human vector-borne diseases. This mission is achieved by a series of teaching/activities modules that cover various subjects and group projects on confronting wicked challenges.

The BVBD course in France is organized with support from the IMPLANTEUS graduate school of Avignon University, and from INRAE. See the Partners page.

The BVBD courses in Idaho and France share a common overall mission, core teaching elements, and approach to transferring knowledge and experience. Interaction between the two organizing committees and the participation of several instructors in both courses foster continuous improvements in teaching methods. Nevertheless, each course has its own distinct character, shaped by the instructors involved, and thus offers a different program.

If you are wondering which course best fits your expectations: Both courses explore the biology, functioning, ecology, modeling, and management of vector-borne diseases and envision vector-borne diseases as wicked challenges. The BVBD Idaho course places greater emphasis on understanding vector-borne disease systems across biological scales (from cellular to global ecosystem scales), and on modeling and controlling them through mechanistic approaches. The BVBD France course focuses on how to act on these systems, by integrating ecological, spatial, and social processes into management and policy solutions. Together, they form a complementary international pair, one emphasizing mechanistic understanding and integration across plant, animal and human pathosystems for management, the other emphasizing social-ecological systems approaches to vector-borne diseases. You might choose to take one course or both courses, with the combination of courses providing comprehensive, cutting-edge knowledge of plant, animal and human vector-borne diseases. 

To participate in the course:
> You must first fill an application form where you will have to provide a motivation letter and a CV. Applications are opened up to February 28, 2026.
> If your application is accepted by the Organizers, you will have to register (Registration tab, not yet functional), up to March 31, 2026. The registration fee will be due following acceptance into the course, of course.