INDIGO: Creating a Productive
Collaborative Culture
By
Nuha Ibrahim INDIGO
Karen Hand INDIGO
Outline of the Presentation
INDIGO Background
Creating a Productive Collaborative Culture: INDIGO &NGOs
INDIGO !!
The International Doctorate in Global Health Started in 2009
The Objective:
“To create a sustainable partnership of African and European universities
that promotes and facilitates health research in Africa through the
transfer of skills, joint research projects, training of emerging
researchers and strengthening of management and supervisor
capacity”
Partners
University of Malawi (Malawi)
UK Cochrane Centre/Oxford University (UK)
Ibadan University (Nigeria)
Harvard University (USA)
Makerere University (Uganda)
International Doctorate School in Global Health _TCD
(Ireland)
Columbia University (USA)
Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia)
The Council on Health Research for Development (Switzerland)
The Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa)
Structure of the programme
Enter Via Africa Partner
Universities
Enter Via Trinity College
Block 1 (October – December):
Common Programme at TCD
Block 2 (January – June):
Optional Modules
Trinity College Dublin
Columbia University
New York
Trinity with input from
Cochrane and Harvard
Block 3 (July – August):
Internship: HSRC South Africa
Year 2: Field Research
Year 3: Field Research
Year 4: Final Write-up and
Examination of Thesis
Graduation from TCD and partner university as appropriate
Research themes
Evidence Based Health Practices
Human Resources for Health
The Role of Branding in NGOs
Equitable Access to Health Services
Research Governance
Water and Sanitation
Health System Financing
Hospital Management and Work Environment
Community Health Workers
Health Information Systems
Emerging communities &Health Services
Aim of INDIGO Projects
Health System Strengthening
Interdisciplinary Approach to Solving Global Health Issues
Knowledge Exchange
Productive Collaboration
To achieve projects aims INDIGO Collaborate with:
Universities and academic institutes
MoH and health services facilities
Governmental organisations
Non governmental organisations (NGOs)
“Creating a Productive Collaborative
Culture: INDIGO and NGOs”
Two Main Types of Collaboration
INDIGO Within One NGO
INDIGO Across Many NGO’s
•INDIGO Researcher working across NGO’s
•INDIGO Researcher working within NGO
•Working alone/within academic team
•Working alone/within project team
•Research Objectives for INDIGO and NGO •Research Objectives for INDIGO (and
NGO?)
Issues that Can Arise in Collaborations
• INDIGO within NGO
– Unclear understanding of
deliverables and expectations
from both sides
– Different end-usage of
research data
• Intellectual ownership of
research data?
– Different mind-sets around
the role of research and
researchers
– Different meanings within
similar words
• E.g different and valid
definitions of what constitutes
‘evidence’
• INDIGO across NGO’s
– Lack of productive dialogue
on the objectives and
consequences of research
between INDIGO and
participating NGO’s
– Balancing need for collective
NGO learning with individual
NGO privacy
– Lack of common frameworks
to conduct/share research
learning
• E.G: Formats for writing up
/sharing research can differ
Best Practice for INDIGO/NGO Research
Collaboration
1-Alignment on Shared Key Questions
2-Communication
3-Negotiation
4-Shared Protocols
1. Alignment on the Key Shared Questions
INDIGO researchers and NGO’s have separate distinct
realities, goals and objectives
-At most extreme : ‘Ivory Tower’ vs. ‘Coal-Face’
However it makes sense there should be some fertile
common ground, where collaboration can add value to both
the overall objectives of INDIGO and NGO’s
It is worthwhile having open dialogue about those key
questions and where collaboration IS and IS NOT attractive to
both parties
-This will allow all parties to best apply resources to priority
questions
2. Communication
Once there is more alignment, communication should flow
Ideally this means we can communicate less (‘Death by Email’)
and achieve more
Relationships between INDIGO researchers and NGO’s can be
more about productive partnership and shared goals and less
about ‘going through the motions’ of co-operation
3. Negotiation
Negotiation process should allow both INDIGO researcher and
NGO “clearly” express their expectations and deliverables
Both sides should be aware and clear about their ‘next best
alternative’ so that the final negotiation is seen as a ‘win/win’
If negotiation breaks down, it releases both parties to pursue
more productive arrangements with other parties..
4. Protocols
To protect the interests of both parties and maximize the
productivity of collaborations- it makes sense to have some
simple protocols for INDIGO/ NGO research
These should flow from and facilitate alignment,
communication and negotiation
Protocols need to have flexibility to allow for pioneering and
experimental collaborative models
The ability to analyze and learn from new collaborative ways
of working should be an overall goal for INDIGO and partner
NGO’s.