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All times listed in Dubai time – (check your local time)
The full programme and attendance is accessible through the HSR2020 website.
Session overview
The Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center, in collaboration with the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, has launched a mentorship program utilizing a multifaceted approach to develop sustainable and durable capacity for evidence-informed decision-making of selected research-policy-making institutions (representing all six WHO regions). Central to the Mentorship approach is the establishment of Policy Fellowship Programs within each mentee institution. In this session, we will convene key researchers and policy-makers from each mentee institution along with their designated mentors to reflect on the experiences, impacts and lessons that have been learnt from joining the mentorship programme and strengthening institutional capacity for evidence-informed policymaking in their respective countries.
Session description
The past few years have witnessed increased global calls to make better use of evidence in policymaking. Increasing the use of evidence requires developing capacity on both the supply side, in terms of capacity for generation of policy-relevant knowledge, and the demand side, in terms of demand for and use of evidence in policy decisions. While strategies targeting individual-level capacity are important, sustainability of evidence-informed policymaking can only be achieved by strengthening institutional capacity. Additionally, promoting more effective and innovative approaches for researcher-policymaker exchanges is another critical area that needs to be tackled in the research-policy interface to strengthen and institutionalize use of evidence and data in policy decisions and action.
The Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center, a WHO Collaborating Center for Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice, in collaboration with the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, has launched a mentorship program utilizing a multifaceted approach to develop sustainable and durable capacity for evidence-informed decision-making of selected research-policymaking institutions (representing all six WHO regions). Central to the Mentorship approach is the establishment of Policy Fellowship Programs within each mentee institution that rely on immersive science-policy connection mechanisms to promote researcher-policymaker exchanges and engagement at national and regional levels. The Mentorship program commenced in year 2018 and will continue until 2021.
Purpose and objectives
In this session, we will convene key researchers and policymakers from each mentee institution along with their designated mentors to reflect on the experiences, impacts and lessons that have been learnt from joining the mentorship program and strengthening institutional capacity for evidence-informed policymaking in their respective countries. We will explore the different models of collaboration and institutional arrangements that have been adopted by mentee institutions to strengthen institutional capacities, as well as reflect on the influence of context, health systems arrangement, and political factors. The session will conclude with implications, priorities for future research and way forward for re-imagining the relationship between research and policymaking institutions to institutionalize evidence-informed decision-making. This session aligns with subtheme 1 of the Symposium, particularly strengthening health systems stewardship through establishing innovative models of collaborations between research and policymaking institutions and institutionalizing the use of evidence in decision-making processes for better health and social justice.
Session organization and contributors:
The session will be organized as follows (13:30-17:30):
13:30-13:40 Introduction and Welcoming Remarks Alliance for Health Policy and Systems (Dr. Abdul Ghaffar)
13:40-13:50 Overview of Mentorship Program Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center / American University of Beirut (Dr. Fadi El-Jardali)
13:50-15:20
Reflections, Impacts and Lessons Learned from each mentee institution (representing all six WHO Regions).
Each sub-session will be led by the lead mentee in collaboration with the designated mentor for that institution, covering the following dimensions: General climate for evidence-informed policymaking (context, health systems arrangement, political factors); Strategies, models of collaboration and institutional arrangements adopted to develop institutional capacities for evidence-informed policymaking; Reflections, impacts and lessons learned; and Way forward and scale-up plans
13:50: Region of the Americas (Trinidad and Tobago): Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development; (Dr. Andrea Yearwood)
14:05: European Region (Tbilisi): Curatio International Foundation (CIF), (Ms. Maia Uchaneishvili)
14:20: African Region (Nigeria): African Institute for Health Policy and Health Systems, Ebonyi St ate University, Nigeria (Dr. Jesse Uneke)
14:35: Western Pacific Region (Cambodia): National Institute of Public Health (Ms. Sokvy Ma)
14:50: South-East Asia Region (Indonesia): Center for Policy and Health Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gajah Mada (Dr Shita Dewi)
15:05: Eastern Mediterranean Region (Dubai): Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (Dr. Immanuel Azaad)
15:20-15:50 Open Discussions with Audience
15:50-16:00 Break: Coffee to be served
16:00-17:00 Panel Discussion: Key insights and reflections from policymakers who have joined the mentorship program (6 policymakers from 6 WHO regions) (40 minutes). This will be followed by open discussions with audience (20 minutes).
17:00-17:30 Panel Discussion: Re-imaging the relationships between research and policymaking institutions to strengthen and institutionalize evidence-informed policymaking for better health and social justice. This will include invited senior policymakers, researchers and funders