3rd Summer Institute for New Global Health Researchers
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública
Cuernavaca, Mexico
July 9 - 15, 2006
The 3rd Summer Institute for New Global Health Researchers took place at the Institudo Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Leaders in global health research from the INSP, Brazil, Bolivia, Mexico and Canada shared their expertise and experiences with 21 new global health researchers. This year’s participants came from the four corners of the earth (Mongolia, India, Zambia, Bolivia, Palestinian Territories, Nicaragua, Benin, Uganda and Canada). Over 70 people applied to the Summer Institute and 11 teams of two were accepted - one researcher from Canada and one researcher from a low-to-middle-income country - working on a joint project. Projects ranged from mental health issues (the mental health of Ugandan youth orphaned by HIV/AIDS and Palestinian adolescents coping with trauma) to building health systems (building research capacity in Nicaragua and expanding coverage and quality of health care in Bolivia).
The 3rd Summer Institute was an excellent opportunity for participants to learn about the politics and history of Mexico and to learn about the culture and language of global health research and ‘research to action’. The INSP’s internationally recognized work in public health, and on public education around Chagas disease in particular, provided valuable hands-on experiences in translating research into action in Latin America, and informed and inspired the new global health researchers.
As in the 2nd Summer Institute, this year’s learning began even before participants reached Cuernavaca. Using the CCGHR’s electronic workspace participants shared backgrounds, expectations and introduced their projects. Facilitators initiated discussions by posting resources and presentations for the upcoming Institute. By providing background readings before the institute, participants had time during the Institute to attend brief seminars and interactive workshops, and to spend more time discussing key global health issues such as the importance of leadership in health research, translation of research to policy and the social determinants of health. In addition, teams had designated times set aside in which they discussed their projects. Each team also worked with a facilitator who had expertise in global health research and knowledge translation to plan how they could translate their research to improve health.
Before the conclusion of the institute participants and facilitators came together and initiated the Summer Institute Alumni Program. Using the electronic discussion space and other opportunities for interaction the SI-Alumni will continue their collaboration and interactive learning while helping to plan future Summer Institutes.
This Institute was a success due to the great amount of time and energy that the host, the Institudo Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP) in Cuernavaca and the Coalition staff and planning team gave to this event. Generous contributions from many Canadian research centres also made this Institute possible. Contributions came from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the CIHR Institutes of Population and Public Health (IPPH), Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH), Human Development and Child Youth Health (IHDCYH), and Infection and Immunity (III), and the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation.
Learn more about this Summer Institute ...
For more information, please write to ccghr@ccghr.ca