Institutions are requested to send their applications to The Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi; Att - Mr Jan Olsson, Counsellor NIPI, by 9th January 2009. A maximum of 10 Norwegian Institutions will be invited and will be supported with a grant to cover travel and lodging for this purpose.
The main outcomes of this seminar will be to agree upon the short term and long term plan including objectives, areas of research and modalities of operation for the Institutional Collaboration for Operational Research under NIPI and Reproductive and Child Health-II (National Rural Health Mission).
Norwegian Institutions are requested to send their applications in English according to guidelines given below
Norway-India Institutional Collaboration for Operational Research opportunities within NIPI.
1. Background and Rationale:
Research is an essential tool for assisting decision-makers in improving health and health systems in an effective and equitable manner. Research can identify the most effective interventions for reducing maternal and child mortality/morbidity and how healthcare should be managed and delivered. Decision making within the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI), and more broadly within the areas of maternal and child health, should be informed by the best available evidence.
NIPI’s vision is to support the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by utilising catalytic, innovative and strategic means, to achieve Millenium Development Goals 4&5 (MDG4&5). New and innovative programmes and interventions should be evaluated using appropriate methods to assess their effectiveness before they are rolled out to scale . By evaluating the innovative interventions implemented under NIPI, India has a prime opportunity to scale up the lessons learned to other areas in the country. In addition, India can contribute to creating knowledge that can save lives in India and elsewhere.
In 1990 the Commission for Health Research for Development recommended that at least 5% of project and programme aid for the health sector from development aid agencies should be earmarked for research and research capacity strengthening. The Norway India Partnership Initiative is in an extremely favourable position having specifically 4 million USD for operational research and the evaluation of innovative interventions, as stated in the program document over a period of 5 years (2007-2011).
2. Principles and framework for Operations Research under NIPI
• Focus on issues/interventions that are innovative or catalytic within the context of NIPI, NRHM, Reproductive and Child Health – II (RCH II), and MDG 4&5. Innovative interventions introduced under NIPI should be evaluated appropriately, in order to assess impact on health outcomes, health systems and issues around implementation
• Focus on issues/interventions that may lead to more effective implementation, and management within NIPI and RCH-II (NRHM) (lesson learning)
• Research areas should reflect the specific needs of the initiative, both centrally and a state level, whilst recognising that the findings may be of relevance for the NHRM, RCH II and others.
• The identification of potential research areas relevant for NIPI will be carried out in an open and transparent manner by a designated, multidisciplinary committee (Operational Research Committee) with competencies including maternal and child health and health systems research.
One reputed institution each from Norway and India will be chosen to manage and coordinate these research activities. These two institutions will support NIPI in facilitating collaboration between Indian and Norwegian institutions for undertaking operational research in the areas identified and agreed by the above mentioned committee; managing the funds allocated for operations research under NIPI by facilitating commissioned research by appropriate and selected institutes from India and Norway ; ensuring the timely completion of the commissioned research activities; ensuring proper documentation and dissemination of the findings of the research activities and providing a platform to assist in establishing and furthering linkages between Indian and Norwegian public health institutions .
3. Norway- India Institutional Collaboration
Reputed Indian and Norwegian Institutions that are Centres of Excellence in Public Health Research will be required to undertake the following within the NIPI, NRHM/RCH-II context
- To assist NIPI in identifying and prioritising areas for research in an open and transparent manner in particular ensuring State Level participation and ownership
- To develop and design appropriate studies, surveys and evaluations and ensuring their completion with quality assurance.
- To conduct commissioned studies and evaluations for the period 2008-2009 as per the decisions of the Operational Research Committee (as mentioned above).
- To conduct workshops/seminars for the dissemination of the research for both users and producers of the data at the State level in order to promote evidence based policy making.
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SEMINAR
1. The Institution must make a brief statement as to their comparative advantages of being able to contribute and participate in such a Institutional Collaboration.
2. Applications from Interested Institutions/organizations must also include the following basic information
a. Description of the Institution/Organisation
i. Major Research Undertaken in the past two years in child health and related maternal health aspects.
ii. This should demonstrate considerable experience in developing , designing and implementing/conducting operational research in social development with particular reference to public health as well as child health and related maternal health aspects.
iii. Evidence as established centre of excellence
b. Available Human Resources
i. Key faculty members/staff
ii. CV’s of Principal Investigators
iii. Academic affiliations to Universities/Colleges
c. Partnerships/Collaborations
- A brief description of International Collaboration/ Partnerships in Low and Middle Income countries
- Norwegian Institutes that have an Indian Partner/ Evidence of experience in India/ Evolving Partnerships as the case might be will be given preference.
Please direct your applications to Mr. Jan H Olsson, Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi at the following e-mail id: emb.newdelhi@mfa.no