International Health Research

1. International Health Research Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale Dept. Sociology & Anthropology

2. Why do international health research? Purpose: New knowledge ----------Application of knowledge (curiosity driven) (intervention/policy/change driven) Who are primary beneficiaries? Canadians ----------------------------- Others Where can it be done? Within Canada--------------------Only outside Canada

3. Major Canadian Funders of International Health Research • CIHR Knowledge generation – curiosity driven Benefits the health of Canadians Only if it must be done outside Canada • IDRC Applies knowledge to improving health of those in the global south Brings Canadian expertise & knowledge to the task • CIDA Build capacity to improve health in the global south Canada – other country partnerships in training

4. Some Other Major Funders • Knowledge Generation – Research • NIH, NIMH • Knowledge application – intervention/policy • Private • Gates Foundation • Rockefeller Family • Ford Foundation • Various large NGOs – UNICEF, PATH, etc. • Government • DFID (Dept. for Int’l Development – UK) • USAID • European Union • Various countries – Australia, Netherlands, Ireland, …

5. Largest number of funders have intervention/policy focus. Research is to the service of the intervention or policy. • CIHR, NIH/NIMH and affiliates – focus on knowledge generation.

6. RequirementsKnowledge Generation CIHR, NIH, NIMH,etc. • International partnerships • Demonstrate necessity for location outside or inclusion of non-North American focus • CIHR – demonstrate benefits to health of Canadians • Same procedures, forms, etc. as applying for in-country funding

7. RequirementsIntervention/Policy Focus More possibilities – CIDA, IDRC, DFID, EU, Gate, various NGOs • Fit priorities of funders. • Partners in global south Many require applications to originate in global south • Research in service to program/policy (e.g., to inform development of and to evaluate program/policy) • Specialists in knowledge translation on the team • Most of the budget is for knowledge translation and program/policy development and implementation (90%) • Budget may have to be administered from the south. • Capacity building in the south (most RAs from south). • Many non-academic written outputs.

8. Getting Funded • Watch calls for RFAs • Connect to and work your networks • Letters of Intent (e.g. Gates Foundation) • ‘Record’ of northern partners counts for a lot – not record of peer reviewed publications, but successful programs, work with program partners, capacity building, reports/ presentations. • Different formats for applications – e.g. logframe.