Research Capacity Development Research Articles

Development of the Research Forum: A program for biomedicine and health research strengthening in Qatar

Background: Research strengthening and capacity development in academic health systems are important for advancing medicine, delivering best practices, improving patient outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs. The Research Forum is a biomedicine and health research strengthening program facilitated by the lead organization of the Academic Health System in Qatar. The event brought together researchers and health professionals together so they could present their research work on a particular health or research topic and network with a targeted local audience. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the Research Forum program from August 2015 to July 2016. The Research Forum was designed as a pan-institutional multi-disciplinary program that would convene quarterly and bring health professionals and researchers together to present their work on a particular health and research topic. The primary outcome was peer-reviewed journal publications of the Research Forum events’ research presentations. The secondary outcomes were the number of attendees and speakers at the successive Research Forum events during the study period. Results: There were five Research Forum events in the first year: Neuroscience (August, 2015), Heart (October 2015), Infections (January 2016), Cancer (March 2016), and Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism (May 2016). A total of 722 health professionals and researchers attended the Research Forum events with 68 studies presented: 5 in Neuroscience, 10 in Heart, 12 in Infections, 18 in Cancer, and 23 in Diabetes/Metabolism. There were 13(19%) research presentations that were successfully published in peer-reviewed journals. The mean time between the study presentation and publication was 2.85 + 1.9 months (median 2; IQR 1.5, 4). None of the presenter and study characteristics variables considered for publication of presented studies was statistically significant. Conclusions: The Research Forum was a capacity building and research-strengthening program at an individual, institutional, and national level. The Research Forum was a unique program that brought together health professionals and researchers from various health institutions, universities, and organizations on a unifying health and research topic.

Dedicated Research Seed Funding to Support High-Priority Clinician-Led Research: A Survey of Clinician-Researchers.

Developing research capacity and supporting research engagement among health professionals are essential parts of bridging the evidence-to-practice gap. The objective of this study was to describe and assess the impact of research seed funding in promoting the engagement of nursing and allied health professionals in leading practice-based research studies within a health care organization. An impact assessment survey was administered to health professional grant recipients (n = 30) to collect self-reported observations of changes related to clinical practice, patient care, and organizational priorities as a result of the funded research projects. The electronic survey was developed in collaboration with an interprofessional advisory committee and contained 23 closed- and open-ended questions. Survey data were analyzed descriptively, and responses to open-ended survey questions were used to characterize the funded research activities and the perceived successes and challenges experienced by the research teams. A large proportion of health professional grant recipients reported observing impact from their research studies on clinical practice, organizational priorities, and external networks. The grant funds were used to carry out knowledge dissemination activities such as conference presentations, publications, and sharing findings at professional meetings and networks. The majority of grant expenditures were used for research personnel, and the most common challenge to conducting research was related to the need for protected research time. Most grant recipients were interested in participating in another grant-funded research project in the future. Organizational funding and support for research led by health professionals have potential impact on clinical practice, patient care, and organizational priorities. This study provides evidence to support the value of investing in continued and expanded research funding programs for health professionals.

Capacity Development to Leverage Advances in Health Informatics for All.

In this essay we will discuss capacity development in health informatics research and application, which to us is among the major contributions of Professor John Mantas scholarship. Specifically, driven by the inspiration of his scholarship we will elaborate on advancing new applications areas, additional actors and geographical uptake of health informatics and eHealth solutions over time. We will illustrate capacity development in health informatics and address challenges that systematically foster digital health literacy, engagement and empowerment, and building health informatics capacities regionally, in Europe and globally.

Post Graduate Student Research Capacity Development: Through the Eyes of a Student Mentorship

Research capacity development in most African countries has been by and large hampered by inadequate infrastructure, poor remuneration and inability to mentor graduate students. While the capability of funding is a vital condition, however, there are a number of concrete initiatives that could be taken by the higher education and research institutions themselves. This may include the strengthening of graduate study improvements in the management of research and the pooling of resources within the individual departments, faculties as well as across institutions. In 2001, the University of the Western Cape initiated the Post Graduate Enrolment and Throughput (PET) project (division for post graduate studies) with the aim of helping post graduate students to complete their theses within a reasonable time frame while at the same time conducting workshops on research skills, technical assistance and research fund applications, among other issues. This paper discusses the post graduate peer mentoring experiences initiated by the University of the Western Cape. The experience of the writing coaches is discussed in relation to research productivity, capacity building, skills in practice and process of research, and contribution to post graduate student output. Furthermore, the paper focuses on the best practice and models arising from these experiences, and suggests a peer mentorship model to develop research capacity at institutional level, taking into account institutional strategic priorities.

Health policy and systems research capacity development to support maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health in West and Central Africa.

To examine how and why a South-South capacity development and networking program for leadership, research, practice and advocacy on maternal new-born, child and adolescent health and health policy and systems strengthening in West Africa and Cameroon worked and identify lessons for low- and middle-income countries. Single qualitative case study drawing on data from document review, observations, key informant interviews and a deliberative workshop. Ethics approval for primary data collection was obtained from the Ghana Health Service Ethical Review Committee (GHS-ERC 012/10/18). West Africa and Cameroon. Researchers, policy and programme managers and frontline health workers. Networking and capacity development. The programme made good progress in implementing many but not all planned capacity development and networking activities. The opportunity to network with other organisations and individuals and across countries, disciplines, and languages as well as to learn, to develop skills, and obtain mentorship support, were considered valuable benefits of the partnership. Human and financial resource constraints meant that not all planned interventions could be implemented. Lessons for health policy and systems research capacity building in LMIC include the potential of South-South partnerships, the need for dedicated resources, the potential of Sub-regional health organizations to support capacity building and recognition that each effort builds on preceding efforts of others, and that it is important to explore and understand where the energy and momentum for change lies. The work described here has been funded by IDRC Canada under research grant # 108237 "West and Central African partnership for maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health research."

Historical and contemporary factors that influenced the emergence and continuity of WANEL: Lessons for sustainable HPSR network formation in LMICs.

To explore historical and contemporary factors and processes that influenced the emergence of WANEL and analyse how the formation process has influenced the network's continued existence and sustainability and lesson for sub-regional health policy and systems research (HPSR) networking in Low -and -Middle -Income Countries (LMICs). Qualitative explanatory case study which used process tracing to chart the formation and development of WANEL. Data was obtained through document reviews, semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and participant observation. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. The emergence of WANEL was made possible by several factors, including support from a network of senior HPSR champions and institutions across West Africa; sustained funding from IDRC Canada, a reputable funder with a track record in supporting research capacity development in LMICs; learning and networking opportunities provided by CHEPSAA Emerging Leaders and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp Emerging Voices for Global Health initiative. Its formation followed a mix of emergent and engineered processes. WANEL is the first and currently the only sub-regional network for early and mid-career health policy and systems researchers and practitioners in West Africa. To ensure its long-term sustainability, the network needs to put in place mechanisms to constantly attract and develop the next generation of early and mid-career researchers, maintain links with senior researchers, strengthen its capacity for coordination and facilitation, and develop a plan for its long-term financial sustainability. The study is funded by IDRC Canada Project 108237-001: Popularly known as the Consortium for Mothers, Newborn, Children, Adolescents and Health Policy and Systems strengthening in West and Central Africa. (COM-CAHPSS).

Health research-strengthening and capacity development: Research support system model in an academic healthcare system.

Introduction: Healthcare research contributes to the well-being of a population; hence, it is important to use the right system to ensure that junior researchers develop the required skills. Current research-strengthening and capacity development programs might lack a research process-based common framework or model leading to variable and suboptimal outcomes. This study aimed to describe the development and evaluation of a model for health research-capacity development at both individual and institutional levels in a Joint Commission International-accredited governmental healthcare organization in Qatar.Methods: This retrospective observational study evaluated a research support system employed in Qatar for 1 year and constituted of16 stations, each covering a different topic and supported by an experienced faculty member. We recorded how many faculty members were involved and how many people accessed which stations. We developed an outcomes logistic model and obtained feedback about their experience of using the research support system through a short survey.Results: Twenty-one faculty members supported a total of 77 participants, representing various professions and specialties. The majority of the participants received support on multiple stations, and the most solicited were study design and methodology (n = 45, 58.4%) and research idea (n = 29, 37.7%). The most common type of research that participants required support for was clinical research (n = 65, 84.4%). Moreover, 58.4% of the participants answered the survey, and their responses attested to their perceived benefit of making use of the research support system.Conclusion: The research support system presented was positively evaluated by participants and promoted networking. Such aspects are favorable to the development of a research culture within an organization and would be a good addition for implementation in universities running healthcare programs and hospitals with residency programs and a large and varied healthcare workforce. This would contribute to the development of health-related research capacity and quality of research outputs in these institutions.

Fostering Sustainable Biomedical Research Training in Mozambique: A Spin-Off of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.

Background:The further development of research capacity in low- and middle-income countries is critical to the delivery of evidence-based healthcare, the design of sound health policy and effective resource allocation. Research capacity is also critical for the retention of highly skilled faculty and staff and for institutional internationalization.Objectives:We summarize the accomplishments, challenges and legacy of a five-year program to train biomedical researchers entitled “Enhanced Advanced Biomedical Research Training for Mozambique (EABRTM)”.Methods:A program conducted from 2015–2021 built upon the Medical Education Partnership Initiative to develop research capacity at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and allied institutions. The project included design and implementation of postgraduate training programs and bolstered physical and human research infrastructure.Findings:The program supported development and implementation of UEM’s first doctoral (Bioscience and Public Health) and master (Biosciences) programs with 31 and 23 students enrolled to date, respectively. Three master programs were established at Lúrio University from which 176/202 (87.1%) and 107/202 (53.0%) students obtained a Postgraduate Diploma or master’s degree, respectively. Scholarships were awarded to 39 biomedical researchers; 13 completed master degrees, one completed a PhD and five remain in doctoral studies. Thirteen administrative staff and four biomedical researchers were trained in research administration and in biostatistics, respectively. A total of 119 courses and seminars benefited 2,142 participants. Thirty-five manuscripts have been published to date in peer-reviewed international journals of which 77% are first-authored by Mozambicans and 44% last-authored by Africans. Sustainability was achieved through 59 research projects awarded by international agencies, totaling $16,363,656.42 and funds ($ 7,319,366.11) secured through 2025.Conclusions:The EABRTM program substantially increased research and mentorship capacity and trained a new generation of biostatisticians and research administrators. These programmatic outcomes significantly increased the confidence of early stage Mozambican researchers in their ability to successfully pursue their career goals.

The development of research competence among specialist registrars in South Africa: Challenges and opportunities for research education and capacity development

To equip physicians with the competencies that support evidence-based healthcare, curriculum frameworks for medical education often promote scholarly activity as an essential component of training. Many medical schools worldwide expect medical trainees to participate in some form of research during their undergraduate and postgraduate training. This requirement is especially important in Africa, where there is also much need to develop clinical research capacity and an evidence base that is contextualised to the specific healthcare challenges on the continent. In South Africa, the requirement for specialist trainees to complete a research project (as part of a Master of Medicine, MMed) was made mandatory from 2011 and has introduced several difficulties for many training centres. There is concern that institutions are failing to develop medical specialists who are competent in their role as scholars, particularly in their ability to conduct research. In this article, I review the South African literature that discusses the research component of medical specialist registration. In addition to summarising the challenges associated with MMed projects and recent efforts to address them, I interrogate whether the current status of MMed research education is likely to be contributing to the successful development of research competence among this unique group of postgraduates. By consolidating the current debate, I hope to encourage a point of departure between criticising the challenges and adopting proactive strategies to address them. There is a great need for medical educators to design innovative and learner-centred research education strategies that can better develop research competence among African healthcare professionals.

Changing the culture: a qualitative study exploring research capacity in local government

BackgroundLocal government has become a key constituent for addressing health inequalities and influencing the health of individuals and communities in England. Lauded as an effective approach to tackle the multiple determinants of health, there are concerns that generating and utilising research evidence to inform decision-making and action is a challenge. This research was conducted in a local authority situated in the north of England and addressed the research question – ‘What is the capacity to collaborate and deliver research?’. The study explored the assets that exist to foster a stronger research culture, identified barriers and opportunities for developing research capacity, and how a sustainable research system could be developed to impact on local residents’ health and reduce health inequalities.MethodsThis was a qualitative study utilising semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The study used an embedded researcher (ER) who was digitally embedded within the local authority for four months to conduct the data collection. Senior Managers were purposively sampled from across the local authority to take part in interviews. Three focus groups included representation from across the local authority. Framework analysis was conducted to develop the themes which were informed by the Research Capacity Development framework.ResultsTensions between research led decision making and the political and cultural context of local government were identified as a barrier to developing research which addressed health inequalities. Research was not prioritised through an organisational strategy and was led sporadically by research active employees. A recognition across leaders that a culture shift to an organisation which used research evidence to develop policy and commission services was needed. Building relationships and infrastructure across local government, place-based collaborators and academic institutions was required. The embedded researcher approach is one method of developing these relationships. The study identifies the strengths and assets that are embedded in the organisational make-up and the potential areas for development.ConclusionResearch leadership is required in local government to create a culture of evidence-based principles and policy. The embedded research model has high utility in gaining depth of information and recognising contextual and local factors which would support research capacity development.

Building research capacity in an under‐represented group: The STAARS program experience

AbstractFor decades, the lack of high‐quality empirical economic research on the state of Africa's agriculture and rural economies has been an important factor impeding the formulation of evidence‐based policy on the continent. The Structural Transformation of African Agriculture and Rural Spaces program aims to build a critical mass of early career African scholars and policy research through an emphasis on mentorship and professional development to help remedy that deficiency. This paper explains the motivations, origins, and outcomes to date of the program, and offers lessons learned for others wishing to create research capacity development opportunities for under‐represented groups.

Strategies to Increase Participation of African Populations in Clinical Trials

Conducting clinical research in low- and middle-income countries is essential to address the global impact of cancer. In 2017, ASCO convened an Academic Global Oncology Task Force that recommended an increase in global oncology research to enhance the field of oncology through research and education. The emerging crisis of cancer in Africa demands a similar global commitment to workforce development, infrastructure building, and access to care that will provide a platform for impactful and relevant research efforts. In the words of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer, it is time to "transform cancer control in Africa through collaboration in education, research, (and) delivery of equitable and timely interventions to minimize the impact of cancer." Although there are some initiatives aimed at developing research capacity to host trials in Africa, there is now a need to establish strategic partnerships with the aim of achieving harmonized, accredited clinical trial units capable of running trials according to Good Clinical Practice standards.

Building Capacity for Research Ethics: Policy Insights For Nepal

Knowledge and skills in research ethics are essential for conducting ethically responsible research. Despite some local policies, strategic guidelines, and manuals on the antithesis of research misconduct, researchers’ adherence to research ethics, especially ethically responsible conduct of research, is still critical in developing countries like Nepal. This study explores the policy provisions to develop researchers’ capacity on research ethics in Nepal. With the aim, we identified ten key documents related to research ethics from the University Grants Commission (UGC), Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST). We analysed the provisions using the adapted version of Cooke’s framework for research capacity development. The result shows that although there are provisions for capacity development for scientific research, none provisioned that the higher education research institutions need to take action for developing early career researchers’ capacity on research ethics. Further, this review depicts several structural, institutional, and procedural limitations that make the condition difficult to adopt and implement those policies, strategic guidelines, and manuals.

Developing the research potential of a social teacher in the context of digital technologies

In the system of modern domestic education, the problem of professional-pedagogical activity of teachers is one of the most popular and relevant, deserving separate empirical research and further practical study. This article aims to consider the role of a social teacher in society and reviews the research potential of a social teacher. Opportunities such as advanced training courses in research capacity development, ICT courses, speech at scientific conferences, participation in professional competitions, project works, master classes, and participation in network communities of social teachers are identified. The features of each opportunity noted in the development of research capacity are discussed in detail. Essential features of the notion's potential and research potential are disclosed in the article. Structural elements of the pedagogical model on three stages of teacher’s research potential development at the system of further professional training. Keywords: ICT courses; network community; research potential; social teacher.

Global Health Governance and Health Equity in the Context of COVID-19: A Scoping Review.

Background: Health equity is an important aspect of responsible governance. COVID-19 exposed existing shortfalls of Global Health Governance (GHG). A considerable amount of related literature is produced. This scoping review aims at mapping the present knowledge and at identifying research gaps. Methods: This scoping review is based on the Joanna Briggs Institute’s guideline for standardized methods and PRISMA-ScR guidelines for reporting. Documents published from December 2019 to October 2021 were searched using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, World cat, and WHO-Global Index Medicus. Two reviewers screened and reviewed eligible studies in three stages: duplicates identification and elimination, title and abstract screening, and full-text assessment. Data was charted and results were classified into conceptual categories. Analysis was done in three stages: open descriptive coding, focused thematic analysis, and frequency, commonality and significance analysis. Results: forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Areas of research were grouped into seven themes: “human rights and inequities”, “solidarity, collaboration and partnership”, “GHG structure change”, “political and economic power and finance”, “approaches to address inequity”, “law and regulations”, and “private investment and public-private partnerships (PPPs) in GHG”. The highest number of papers were in the first theme, “human rights and inequities”. However, the themes are interrelated. Authors who contributed to research were mostly affiliated to developed countries indicating a gap in knowledge and expertise in developing countries. Conclusion: Through this scoping review we found that the seven themes are interconnected. Disciplinary collaboration in research relating GHG to health inequities is solicited. Collaboration in research, information sharing, and research capacity development are in needed in developing countries.

Building research capacity and culture: Exploring nurses' experience of implementing a nurse-led clinical trial.

AimTo explore the experiences of a nursing team who implemented an international nurse‐led clinical trial in practice and understand the facilitators to their involvement.BackgroundThe role and responsibilities of the clinical nurse are advancing to encompass research activity to help inform evidence‐based practice. However, several personal and organisational challenges can inhibit nurses' capacity to implement and undertake research within clinical practice.MethodsThree focus groups were conducted with members of a nursing team (N = 18). Thematic analysis was employed, and themes were identified and agreed upon by the research team.ResultsFive themes were identified: ‘Previous experience of and attitudes to participation in clinical research’, ‘Decision‐making regarding participation in the clinical trial’, ‘Facilitators of participation in the clinical trial’, ‘Challenges of research in nursing practice’ and ‘Future orientation towards research’.ConclusionThrough their experiences of implementing a nurse‐led clinical trial within practice, nurses recognized a number of facilitators and challenges to their participation. The perceived relevance of the clinical trial to the nurses' practice, potential to improve patient care and appreciation of the nurse leader's expertise and understanding of their context were key motivators. Reciprocal trust with the nurse leader who was encouraging, motivating, supportive and accessible resulted in the engagement and commitment of the nursing team.Implications for Nursing ManagementThis paper offers a perspective that can inform senior nursing management teams when implementing and conducting evidence‐based research amongst nursing teams and in doing so meet the needs of developing research capacity amongst clinical nurses.

Development of research capacity of a future social pedagogue in the face of digital technologies.

The aim of this article is to theoretically and practically justify the development of a future social pedagogue’s research capacity in the context of digital technologies. Practical implementation of a model for building social pedagogues’ research capacity within the framework of an online educational course can provide effective training of pedagogues in a digitalized educational environment and ensure a high level of pedagogical excellence. Approbation of the model was carried out on bachelor students majoring in Social Pedagogy and Self-Knowledge and taking an online Scientific Research Organization and Planning course in the Pavlodar Pedagogical University (Kazakhstan). The course was held from September to December 2020 on the Moodle learning platform, one of the most popular for the purposes of e-learning. The communication part of the course was supported by the social networking features of Facebook. In total, the educational experiment encompassed 52 students. Their thorough examination enabled the conclusion that research capacity brings proficient results in creative, innovative, communication, leadership, pedagogical, and digital activities, and thus remains an important component of pedagogical excellence. Thus, it can be stated that the integration of digital tools and platforms, along with the creation of multimedia learning content and the introduction of research methods and structured research practice into the students’ education, allows for an effective research learning practice. The results of the students’ end-of-course survey identified factors that had a significant influence on the effectiveness of research activities in online learning, namely the quality of the digital platform, structured research practice, active learning opportunities, pedagogical excellence, effective communication, and personalization.

Rebuilding social science research systems in Myanmar: The past informs the future

AbstractInternational interest in Myanmar increased exponentially from 2010 when the first quasi‐democratic election was held, signalling the beginning of transition from military to democratic rule. Major reforms were needed to facilitate Myanmar's economic and social development. However, decades of social isolation, distrust in government, and stagnation of the education system degraded Myanmar's research capabilities to a point whereby no meaningful data was available to determine areas of critical need or baseline positions to support donor‐assisted development. A decade later, research data on Myanmar has developed greatly but remains largely controlled by foreign entities. An assessment of Myanmar's research environment undertaken in 2019 utilising the Global Development Network's research assessment framework identified key actors in social science research and significant barriers to local research capacity development in the higher education sector. A critical factor to address in order to achieve meaningful change in Myanmar's higher education research systems is the relationship between central government and higher education institutions. This step is essential in progressing Myanmar's higher education autonomy and academic freedoms.

3 - Performative Injunctions in the Higher Education Body: The Discursive Career of Research Capacity Development in a South African University Faculty of Education

This article discusses Research Capacity Development (RCD), in a Faculty of Education at a South African university. It employs the notions of performativity and performance to argue that specific local sites at universities have complex stories to tell about their responsiveness to research output imperatives. The article emphasizes that there is a formative relationship between the specific RCD discursive text of this Faculty and the performance- based activities of its management and academics. The career of RCD in the Faculty is established in the light of specific activities against the background of a small Faculty environment. The article specifically considers the basis for its relative success in the area of doctoral completion by its academic staff and its diminishing article writing output. It draws the conclusion that efforts to secure a vigorous RCD platform depend on the ability to establish a nurturing institutional environment in which a scholarly culture can be encouraged and protected.

Issues of formation, education and development of research capacity in students

The modern education system requires the further improvement of the mechanisms for educating future specialists in research skills based on creative approaches and the innovative system of their implementation. From this point of view, education of the research ability of specialists based on a creative approach in the field of education is of particular importance in creating innovations, creating intellectual resources of socio-economic development and expanding competitive training opportunities by educating cognitive and divergent thinking skills based on modern pedagogical processes that create new knowledge.