Hunter Paul R, Abdelrahman Samira H, Antwi-Agyei Prince, Awuah Esi, Cairncross Sandy, Chappell Eileen, Dalsgaard Anders, Ensink Jeroen H J, Potgieter Natasha, Mokgobu Ingrid, Muchiri Edward W, Mulogo Edgar, van der Es Mike, Odai Samuel N
The Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR 4 7TJ, UK.
Health Res Policy Syst. 2014 Dec 15;12:68. doi: 10.1186/1478-4505-12-68.
Despite its contribution to global disease burden, diarrhoeal disease is still a relatively neglected area for research funding, especially in low-income country settings. The SNOWS consortium (Scientists Networked for Outcomes from Water and Sanitation) is funded by the Wellcome Trust under an initiative to build the necessary research skills in Africa. This paper focuses on the research training needs of the consortium as identified during the first three years of the project.
We reviewed the reports of two needs assessments. The first was a detailed needs assessment led by one northern partner, with follow-up visits which included reciprocal representation from the African universities. The second assessment, led by another northern partner, focused primarily on training needs. The reports from both needs assessments were read and stated needs were extracted and summarised.
Key common issues identified in both assessments were supervisory skills, applications for external research funding, research management, and writing for publication in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The bureaucratisation of university processes and inconsistencies through administration processes also caused problems. The lack of specialist laboratory equipment presented difficulties, particularly of inaccessibility through a lack of skilled staff for operation and maintenance, and of a budget provision for repairs and running costs. The lack of taught PhD modules and of research training methods also caused problems. Institutionally, there were often no mechanisms for identifying funding opportunities. On the other hand, grantees were often unable to understand or comply with the funders' financial and reporting requirements and were not supported by their institution. Skills in staff recruitment, retention, and performance were poor, as were performance in proposal and paper writing. The requirements for ethical clearance were often not known and governance issues not understood, particularly those required by funders.
SNOWS believes that working with African universities to develop networks that support African-led research driven by the local context is an effective approach to develop and retain research skills needed to change policy and practice in water, sanitation, and hygiene in Africa.
尽管腹泻病对全球疾病负担有影响，但它仍然是一个相对被忽视的研究资金领域，尤其是在低收入国家背景下。SNOWS联盟（水与卫生设施成果科学家网络）由惠康信托基金会资助，是一项在非洲培养必要研究技能的倡议。本文重点关注该联盟在项目头三年确定的研究培训需求。
我们审查了两项需求评估报告。第一项是由一个北方合作伙伴牵头的详细需求评估，并进行了后续访问，其中包括非洲大学的相互代表。第二项评估由另一个北方合作伙伴牵头，主要关注培训需求。阅读了两项需求评估的报告，并提取和总结了所述需求。
两项评估中确定的关键共同问题是监督技能、外部研究资金申请、研究管理以及在同行评审科学文献中发表文章的写作。大学流程的官僚化以及行政流程的不一致也造成了问题。缺乏专业实验室设备带来了困难，特别是由于缺乏熟练的操作和维护人员而无法使用，以及缺乏维修和运行成本的预算拨款。缺乏讲授式博士课程模块和研究培训方法也造成了问题。在机构层面，通常没有识别资金机会的机制。另一方面，受资助者往往无法理解或遵守资助者的财务和报告要求，并且得不到所在机构的支持。员工招聘、留用和绩效方面的技能较差，提案和论文写作方面的表现也较差。伦理审查的要求往往不为人知，治理问题也不被理解，特别是资助者要求的那些问题。
SNOWS认为，与非洲大学合作建立支持由当地情况驱动的非洲主导研究的网络，是培养和保留改变非洲水、卫生和个人卫生政策及实践所需研究技能的有效方法。
