IDRC’s Research Awards provide a unique opportunity to enhance research skills and gain a fresh perspective on crucial development issues. This one-year, paid, in-house program of training and mentorship in research, research management, and grant administration allows awardees to pursue their research goals in a dynamic team environment in one of the world’s leaders in generating new knowledge to meet global challenges. The successful candidate is required to have strong research, analytical, and writing skills, as well as familiarity with key institutions (including Canadian) active in global health research and policy. Proficiency in English and French is essential. An understanding of the health implications of urbanization, social and gender analysis would be considered an asset.
Jobs and Announcements
The Symposium will focus on the science to accelerate universal health coverage around the world. It will cover three main themes: knowledge translation; state-of-the-art health systems research; and health systems research methodologies. There will also be three cross-cutting themes: innovations in health systems research; neglected priorities or populations in health systems research; financing and capacity building for health systems research.
All are invited to submit abstracts to the ECSA Health Community for the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) Director’s Joint Consultative Committee (DJCC) and Best Practices Forum for 2012, which will be held from 14-17 August 2012. The DJCC is the highest technical organ of the ECSA Health Community and consists of directors of health/medical services in member states, directors of health research institutions and deans of medicals schools. The meeting will bring together senior officials from Ministries of Health, health experts, health researchers, heads of health training institutions from member states of the ECSA Health Community, as well as diverse collaborating partners in the region and beyond. These role players will identify policy issues and make recommendations to accelerate and scale up best practices in the ECSA region.
BioMed Central, in conjunction with its two journals, Malaria Journal and Parasites and Vectors, is hosting the second malaria conference under the theme “Challenges in Malaria Research: Progress Towards Elimination” in Basel, Switzerland from 10–12 October 2012. This conference will bring together leading malaria researchers to review current progress and to chart future challenges. International speakers will present their insights into malaria elimination, including social science and policies, artemisinin resistance, new drugs, vaccines, diagnostic challenges and vector controls. Abstract submission is now open for the conference. Abstracts should be no more than 500 words and posters should be A0 size. Please note that the corresponding author of an oral or poster presentation has to register and pay for the conference before being permitted to submit an abstract.
The International Development Research Centre is calling for concept notes with a focus on how and when technology can contribute toward strengthened and more equitable health systems in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The overarching objective of the SEARCH project is to support LMIC-based researchers in carrying out rigorous and useful research on how and when eHealth can influence the functioning of health systems to improve health outcomes, and ultimately, contribute to reducing health inequities. Key research areas include: theory, methodology, or framework development; participation, accountability and transparency; enterprise architecture and interoperability; modelling and operations research to generate evidence for decision-making; and sub-national, national and global policy processes. The principal applicant must be a citizen or permanent resident of a LMIC with a primary work affiliation at a LMIC-based institution.
To celebrate the African novel and its adaptability and resilience, Kwani Trust announces a one-off new literary prize for African writing. The Kwani Manuscript Project calls for the submission of unpublished fiction manuscripts from African writers across the continent and in the Diaspora. The top three manuscripts will be awarded cash prizes. In addition Kwani will publish manuscripts from across the shortlist and longlist, including the three winning manuscripts, as well as partnering with regional and global agents and publishing houses to create high-profile international publication opportunities. The word count for submissions is 60,000-120,000 words, and submissions should be adult literary or genre fiction and written in English or variants of the language. The manuscript must be unpublished, although Kwani will accept previously published submissions if circulation has been under 500 copies and limited to one national territory. Eligible participants should have at least one parent born in an African country who holds citizenship of that country.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Turning the tide together’. Policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic will meet to assess global progress, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward. The programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV. Sessions will focus on the latest issues in HIV science, policy and practice and will also seek to share key research findings, lessons learned, best practices, as well as identify gaps in knowledge. The conference will feature abstract-driven sessions, a daily plenary session, a variety of symposia sessions, professional development workshops, and independently organised satellite meetings. In addition, the conference programme will include a number of programme activities, such as the Global Village and the Youth Programme, which are an integral aspect of the International AIDS Conference.
The People’s Health Assembly (PHA), organised by the People's Health Movement (PHM), is a global event bringing together health activists from across the world to share experiences, analyse global health situation, develop civil society positions and to develop strategies which promote health for all. It will look at forms of action to address identified challenges and build capacity among health activists to act. It is an opportunity for PHM as a whole to reflect on the global struggle, to review and reassess, to redirect and re-inspire. PHA3 aims to impact directly in the struggle for social change: for health for all, decent living conditions for all, work in dignity for all, equity and environmental justice. The programme is now available at http://www.phmovement.org/en/pha3/programme
The 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly intends to be more than the primary annual gathering of civil society and other stakeholders of society. It will also see the start of a process of defining a new charter of citizen demands. This comes in response to recent changes in civil society organisation, marked by crisis, volatility and rising dissent, in which the relationships between the state, business, citizens and other parts of the social sphere are being redefined and renegotiated. The World Assembly has three themes: 1. Changing nations through citizens: how can the power of citizen action be maximised to achieve social and political change at the national level? 2. Building partnerships for social innovation: what new partnerships are needed for change, how can they be brokered and what principles should underpin them? 3. Redefining global governance: what needs to change in multilateral processes and institutions to enable effective citizen’s participation?
The Symposium will focus on the science to accelerate universal health coverage around the world. It will cover three main themes: knowledge translation; state-of-the-art health systems research; and health systems research methodologies. There will also be three cross-cutting themes: innovations in health systems research; neglected priorities or populations in health systems research; financing and capacity building for health systems research.