Institutionalizing research capacity strengthening in LMICs: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

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dc.citation.doihttps://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/TNPBVen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVicente-Crespo, M
dc.contributor.authorAgunbiade, M.O
dc.contributor.authorEyers, J.
dc.contributor.authorThorogood, M
dc.contributor.authorFonn, S
dc.date.accessioned2020-08-17T13:38:38Z
dc.date.available2020-08-17T13:38:38Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.descriptionBackground: Evidence on effective strategies to ensure sustainability of research capacity strengthening interventions in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) institutions is lacking. This systematic review identified publications describing research capacity building programs and noted their effect, their contexts, and the mechanisms, processes and social actors employed in them. Methods: We searched online databases for the period 2011-2018. Inclusion criteria were that the publications 1) described the intervention; 2) were implemented in LMICs; 3) were based in, or relevant to, university staff or post docs; 4) aimed to improve research capacity; 5) aimed to effect change at the institutional level. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full text in consecutive rounds, a third resolved disagreements. Two people extracted the data of each full text using a data extraction tool covering data relevant to our question. Results: In total 4052 citations were identified and 19 papers were included, which referred to 14 interventions. Only three interventions mentioned using a conceptual framework to develop their approach and none described using a theory of change to assess outcomes. The most frequent inputs described were some method of formal training, promotion of a research-conducive environment and establishment of research support systems. A range of outcomes were reported, most frequently an increased number of publications and proportion of staff with PhDs. When factors of success were discussed, this was attributed to a rigorous approach to implementation, adequate funding, and local buy-in. Those who mentioned sustainability linked it to availability of funds and local buy-in. The lack of a common lexicon and a framework against which to report outcomes made comparison between initiatives difficult. Conclusions: The reduced number of interventions that met the inclusion criteria suggests that programs should be well-described, evaluated systematically, and findings published so that the research capacity strengthening community can extract important lessons.en_ZA
dc.description.additionalProtocol for registration This work began to meet an organisational need. CARTA has an overt ‘institutionalisation’ strategy, which seeks to ensure that CARTA interventions that are valued by member universities become formally embedded in the functioning of those universities. CARTA has invested in strategies to institutionalise CARTA innovations into routine university systems, but the most effective strategies to achieve this are not obvious. To answer this question, a protocol was created for a review, informally, the files attached contain the results of a systematic review carried out to identify effective strategies for institutional-level research strengthening within universities in LMICs to inform our approach. In particular, we were interested to know which strategies have been effective elsewhere and the contexts, mechanisms, processes and social actors that aided the institutional change achieved. This was the genesis of the research and the protocol was informally laid out but not registered. The project is at the submission stage. Protocol We are carrying out a systematic review and narrative synthesis of interventions aiming at institutional research capacity strengthening in LMICs. The criteria for inclusion of articles in the review are: 1. Describes an intervention (articles describing only selection of recipients are excluded) 2. Intervention is implemented in LMIC 3. Intervention based in, or relevant to, university staff or postdocs 4. The intervention aims to improve research capacity 5. The intervention aims for change at the group/institutional/systematic/ systemic level (intervention addressing only individuals are excluded) Database searches Searches will be run in a number of subject-specific and multidisciplinary bibliographic databases for the period 2011-2016 with a search strategy using both natural language (title/abstract) and controlled language (database index terms) strings adapted for each database (See Supplementary Table 1, Extended data). A search filter for LMICs (adapted from a Cochrane EPOC group filter based on World Bank definitions) will be used to restrict papers. The following databases will be searched: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), ERIC (education database - Ebsco), Scopus, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (Proquest), Public Affairs Information Service (Proquest), Social Science Journals (Proquest), Higher Education Empirical Research (HEER - up to 2014). Results will be amalgamated within Endnote X6.0.1 and duplicates removed. This search will be further updated with the same databases (except HEER) to August 2018 and this retrieved a further 1503 citations after duplicates were removed. No language limits will be placed on the searches. Other strategies to find relevant papers Once we have the included studies from the initial searches, we will use them to extend our search. We will manually screen through the references of all included papers, search for other articles describing the included interventions, and perform a citation search of the included articles in Scopus. Selection of papers The titles obtained in the two searches will be read by one or two people to include any title with potential to meet the inclusion criteria. At the next stage, all selected titles and the relevant abstracts will be reviewed independently by two people and any conflicting decisions resolved by a third team member. Next, the full text of the papers will be reviewed independently by two people, with a third resolving any conflicts. Data extraction A data extraction form, will be developed in Redcap (1,2). Using the online form, data will be extracted by two members of the team independently and conflicts resolved by a third person. The extraction tool will allow us to extract information on the country and institution where the intervention is implemented, the initiator of the intervention, the various inputs included in the intervention, the reported outcomes, and whether there is a direct reference to sustainability. The full papers will be read by two people who will check for inclusion and extract the data. Extracted data will be merged with three people going over the available extracted data and referring to the full article in case of conflicting information coming from the two extractions. Quality appraisal The reviewers extracting the information from each article will assign them a score between 1 and 5 depending on the degree to which the data we are looking for is included in the paper and the scores will be averaged. Add supplemental files or additional information PRISMA checklist for Institutionalizing research capacity strengthening in LMICs A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Registration.pdf Supplementary Table 1 Search Strategy example (005) registration.pdf Supplementary Table 2 Included studies.docx Supplementary Table 3 Activities and outcomes.docxen
dc.description.librarianNSLLewinen_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand and funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York [B 8606.R02], Sida [54100029], and the DELTAS Africa Initiative [107768]. The DELTAS Africa Initiative is an independent funding scheme of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS)’s Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) and supported by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) with funding from the Wellcome Trust (UK) and the UK government. During a significant part of the time in which this work was done, SF was supported by a Fullbright Senior Fellow Award at the University of Southern California, an award from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and an Anderson Capelli fellowship.en_ZA
dc.facultyHealth Sciencesen_ZA
dc.funderThe Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTAen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationhttp://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/jspui/handle/10539/29290 Vicente-Crespo, M., Agunbiade, M. O., Eyers, J., Thorogood, M., & Fonn, S. (2020, August 14). Data From: Institutionalizing research capacity strengthening in LMICs. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/TNPBVen_ZA
dc.identifier.uri. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RH42Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/29291
dc.journal.issueopenen_ZA
dc.journal.titlein reviewen_ZA
dc.journal.volumeopenen_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.orcid.id0000-0001-6115-8707en_ZA
dc.rightsCC-By Attribution 4.0 Internationalen_ZA
dc.rights.licenseThe most frequent inputs described were some method of formal training, promotion of a research-conducive environment and establishment of research support systems. A range of outcomes were reported, most frequently an increased number of publications and proportion of staff with PhDs. When factors of success were discussed, this was attributed to a rigorous approach to implementation, adequate funding, and local buy-in. Those who mentioned sustainability linked it to availability of funds and local buy-in. The lack of a common lexicon and a framework against which to report outcomes made comparison between initiatives difficult. 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dc.schoolPublic Healthen_ZA
dc.subjecthigher educationen_ZA
dc.subjectcapacity developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectProductivityen_ZA
dc.subjectresearch capacity strengtheningen_ZA
dc.titleInstitutionalizing research capacity strengthening in LMICs: A systematic review and meta-synthesisen_ZA
dc.title.alternativePrisma 2009 Checklist. Included studies; Search Strategy example; Details of activities and outcomes described in the included interventions; Prisma 2009 Checklist;en_ZA
dc.typeDataseten_ZA
z.orcid0000-0002-8381-6747
z.orcid0000-0001-8566-0662en
z.orcid0000-0002-2620-4736
z.orcid0000-0001-6115-8707
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