Support Team - HSR symposium Liverpool, Animated Meet & Greet

During the HSR symposium SPHIP organised a Meet&Greet for all symposium delegates interested in capacity building of public health institutes in low - and middle income countries. This network event attracted around 60 people, who were able to network and make new contacts or find old friends long time so see. Justin Pulford from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, made a plea for creating an international network.  

On Wednesday evening 10 October SPHIP organised an informal Meet&Greet inviting people and organisations that were interested in capacity building of public health institutes in low- and middle-income countries. Manuel Couffignal explained to the symposium delegates present, the intention of the SPHIP programme and the importance of mutual exchange in order to strengthen the public health research institutes. There are many projects, programmes, or funds that stimulate collaboration between universities and institutes, but few of them have a capacity building focus; most of them target results: research outcomes, education programmes. The European Union wants to stimulate public health institutes in low- and middle-income countries in positioning themselves as key players in national evidence-informed health policy formulation. For example, formulating and following up on national health research agendas, that prioritise health research is an important role for public health institutes, convincing Western partners to pay more attention to country needs.

Justin Pulford from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine had organised a satellite session on the previous day trying to bring together people and organisations that are working on capacity building for health research. He wants to create an international network that continues to exchange experiences on how to best develop these capacities. He made an appeal to guests present at the Meet&Greet to join the network, that will maybe develop into a technical working group of Health Systems Global. People interested can contact him.

Lively discussions developed later during the evening among diverse groups present, and many business cards were exchanged. Later some photo sessions with the SPHIP banner created remembrances of the informal encounters.