INASP launches new course: Engaged Research for Community and Policy Impact

How can we make sure that research in and from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) not only contributes to global knowledge but also benefits local communities and informs policy decisions? Researchers in the Global South often have first-hand experience of the challenges they are studying. This brings an important perspective to the table. However, they often encounter barriers such as not being able to identify or connect with the right stakeholders, or limited access to tools to engage with relevant communities. Our new course Engaged Research for Community and Policy Impact aims to bridge this gap by equipping researchers with the knowledge and skills to carry out community-engaged research, thus increasing their ability to make a meaningful societal impact.

Launching our new course – Engaged Research for Community and Policy Impact

Engaged Research for Community and Policy Impact, will launch on October 7, 2024, and run for eight weeks. Funded by Sida and developed by a group of experts based in Uganda, Argentina, and Bangladesh from the INASP network, it is designed to go beyond theory. Here, early career researchers will not only learn the principles of community-engaged research but will also be guided through hands-on activities with a relevant community in their own context. They will practice the skills needed to conduct research that leads to tangible societal and policy impacts.

We’ve brought together a team of experienced facilitators from INASP’s AuthorAID community to guide learners through the course. With a mix of live Q&A sessions, practical exercises, and a supportive online community, participants can learn from each other and apply their new skills. The course also features a dedicated WhatsApp group to encourage peer learning across time zones and borders.

Nicholas Owiti, AuthorAID member, conducting community-engaged research in Kenya

Why this course matters

We know that our online courses make a difference for many who take them – an AuthorAID member who participated in both our Getting Started with Writing and Publishing Your Research and Basics of Grant Proposal Writing MOOCs in 2023 told us,

“These training avenues have enhanced my capacity to attract funding from international and local agencies for research and biodiversity conservation as well as secure scholarships for sponsored training programmes. These key competence-based training avenues have improved my research skills, advanced the quality my PhD research proposal, fostered my ability to secure funds for data collection and publish research findings.”

With our new Engaged Research for Community and Policy Impact MOOC, our goal is to empower early career researchers in the LMICs to involve the people their research seeks to benefit. This engaged research not only enhances the quality and relevance of their work but also ensures that research outcomes are more likely to influence policy and generate a positive impact, especially in areas closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

If you would like to know more about how you can support early career researchers researchers in the Global South or engage with this course, please contact us at busdev@inasp.info.

To enroll, please click here. If you don’t already have a learn@inasp account, you’ll need to create one.

Top image: Ekhtekharul Islam, AuthorAID member, conducting photovoice research in a remote community of coastal Bangladesh