News Releases

The UWI, Mc Master University partner to bolster evidence-based health policy

For Release Upon Receipt - February 22, 2019

St. Augustine


The Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CCHSRD) of the Faculty of Medical Sciences of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St.  Augustine Campus is pleased to announce a formal collaboration with the McMaster Health Forum of McMaster University, Ontario Canada. This agreement builds on a long-standing partnership between the teams lead by Professor Donald Simeon, Director of CCHSRD and Professor John Lavis, Director of the McMaster Health Forum.

“We are excited to formalise our collaboration with McMaster Health Forum. I have worked with Professor Lavis and his team before and they are world leaders in the field of knowledge management. The CCHSRD and the Caribbean as a whole will benefit a lot from their expertise and experience in areas such as the uptake of research findings towards the strengthening of health systems and the development of health policy,” said Professor Simeon. 

“This is a great opportunity for us to continue building our networks in the Caribbean and promoting evidence-informed health and social-systems,” said Professor Lavis. “We look forward to this opportunity to learn from each other and to build capacity to better support the use of evidence in policymaking.”

Professor Lavis also serves on CCHSRD’s Advisory Board. The new partnership will allow The UWI CCHSRD to use tried and tested methodologies for hosting policy dialogues. This will enable the voices of average citizens and stakeholders to be heard and to shape policies for improving health systems in the region.

The collaboration will take many forms, including:

·         sharing and promoting materials and resources of mutual interest

·         developing research proposals and projects, and exchanging relevant scientific information

·         participating in webinars and other knowledge-translation initiatives

·         exploring the development of university-based educational programmes and community-based training programmes

·         facilitating the exchange of faculty members, research staff, and students for research, teaching, and professional training

The CCHSRD has a pivotal role to generate and facilitate the use of research evidence in order to strengthen health systems and policymaking processes. The work of the Centre is facilitated through inter-disciplinary and multi-sectoral collaboration, priority setting, and embedded research.

 

End

 

About The UWI 

Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. The UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. Website: www.uwi.edu 

 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

Contact