EVIPNet Governance

EVIPNet takes the form of linked, but distinct country-based and regional networks. Africa, Asia and the Americas each host regional networks, which together work in 25 countries. In the countries where EVIPNet is active, additional organizations are welcome to join EVIPNet teams.

At the regional level EVIPNet is supported by the WHO regional offices and by small regional secretariats responsible for promoting regional coordination. The WHO Research Translation unit serves as the global secretariat of EVIPNet and is situated within WHO HQ in the Department of Research, Policy and Coordination

The Global Steering Group

EVIPNet also has a global steering group ,  which acts as a catalyst and supporter of EVIPNet as a global, regional and country level social network. A regional steering group is also present in each EVIPNet region.
The Global steering group meets regularly by teleconference to facilitate exchange between regions and to follow up, coordinate and support global level activities such as:

• fund-raising efforts
• review of methodological advancements and regional implementation plans
• agreement on the membership of the resource group and/or the inclusion of new countries proposed by the regions or independently
• follow up the development of the EVIPNet Portal and other advocacy and dissemination instruments
• coordinate the participation of EVIPNet representatives in international events
• overview and agree on EVIPNet's strategies

The Global Steering Group is composed of the chairs of each regional steering group, (Africa, Americas, and Asia), the WHO HQ coordinator of EVIPNet and WHO research counterparts in each of the three regions.

The Global Steering Group acts as a catalyst and supporter of EVIPNet as a global, regional and country level social network that represents a learning environment, a generator of knowledge in Knowledge Translation in Low and Middle Incomes Countries, and a provider of a key service to countries.

The Global and Regional Resource Groups

EVIPNet has been fortunate to be guided by a group of leading international experts in the field of evidence-to-policy. The  Global Resource Group provides strategic guidance to EVIPNet, organizes a technical review of EVIPNet proposals, and provides direct technical support to country teams where necessary.

The terms of reference for EVIPNet’s global resource group are :

• To provide technical input to the overall direction of EVIPNet
• To conduct technical reviews of country-led applications to join EVIPNet
• To participate in global and regional launches or annual meetings of EVIPNet teams (when resources allow)
• To lead capacity-building workshops for EVIPNet teams (when resources allow)
• To provide technical input to the development of country-led proposals to funders
• To act as ambassadors for EVIPNet within the global scientific community
• To provide technical input to the monitoring and evaluation of EVIPNet
• To provide support to regional resource group members as required

The terms of reference for EVIPNet’s regional resource groups are :

• To provide technical input to the direction of EVIPNet within the region
• To conduct technical reviews of country-led applications (from within the region) to join EVIPNet
• To participate in the regional launch or annual meeting of EVIPNet teams (when resources allow)
• To participate in regional capacity-building workshops for EVIPNet teams (when resources allow)
• To lead country-focused capacity-building workshops and provide on-going support for single EVIPNet teams (when resources allow)
• To provide technical input to the development of country-led proposals (from within the region) to funders
• To act as ambassadors for EVIPNet within the scientific community in the region
• To provide technical input to the monitoring and evaluation of EVIPNet within the region

To view the EVIPNet Organigram, please click on the following link

Organigram [jpg 66kb]

EVIPNet Partnerships

EVIPNet gratefully acknowledges the funding and support of multiple partners including the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and WHO's Special Programme for Research and Training on Tropical Diseases (and tropika) international Development Research Centre (IDRC), European Commission Framework Programme 7

EVIPNet-Research Matters (RM) Partnership

EVIPNet views this financial support from IDRC (International Development Research Centre) as a means of nurturing the on-going partnership with Research Matters, which will allow EVIPNet to build upon and contribute to the work of RM and of IDRC’s Governance, Equity and Health programme more broadly. EVIPNet brings to this partnership the uniqueness of its insertion within the decision-making and implementation structures of respective Ministries of Health and the support of WHO country, regional and central offices. RM brings its extensive experience in analysis, communication, dissemination and its network of researchers and research-users. As the IDRC-funded projects ZAMFOHR and REACH-Policy are part of the EVIPNet Africa network, there is already strong cross-over and synergy between the two initiatives, and over the three years of this grant, it is expected that the partnership will:

• work together to provide strong and comprehensive technical support to the network;
• capture, package and disseminate the lessons learned in Knownledge Translation and in health research capacity strengthening;
• develop state-of-the-art tools and methodologies designed to further Knownledge Translation strategies and approaches.

RM will designate one member to sit on both the Global Steering Group and the Global Resource Group.

This collaboration has already resulted in the joint production and future dissemination of a video with interviews featuring key decision-makers and researchers in the region. The video (EN)/(FR) was be presented and disseminated at the Bamako Global Ministerial Conference on Research for Health (November 2008).

EVIPNet and SURE

EVIPNet Africa successfully obtained funding from the EC FP7 programme to pursue a number of scientific/technological objectives, namely:

• Produce relevant, reliable, accessible and timely research syntheses

• Develop and evaluate the effectiveness of five strategies for improving access to and use of research evidence in policy development:
  •User-friendly formats for research syntheses
  •Clearing houses for research syntheses and policy relevant research
  •Rapid response mechanisms to meet policymakers’ needs for research evidence within short time frames (hours or days)
  •Deliberative forums involving policymakers and researchers with the involvement of civil society and the general public
  •Supporting civil society’s and the general public’s access to and use of research evidence

• Develop capacity for evidence-informed health policy development in Africa

• Evaluate collaborative initiatives between policymakers and researchers when using the above and other strategies to support evidence-informed health policy In keeping with EC FP7 requirements, SURE is a programme of research, albeit one very much focused on the very questions that EVIPNet Africa team members are asking, such as how can be best organize national policy dialogues. However, the only outputs that will meet the needs of policymakers are the syntheses. The EVIPNet / RM partnership can benefit from this research, the syntheses, and the many meetings that will be funded through SURE, while at the same time providing added value through more directly policymaker-focused activities.