Partnerships are a core element of Global Health research. LSHTM is committed to building equitable research partnerships that facilitate understanding, fairness, awareness of each other’s contexts, trust and mutual exchange of expertise and knowledge. We have developed the EquiPar Tool to help our researchers think through their partnerships systematically and to promote effective and equitable collaboration. EquiPar was piloted for six months by a sample of six research projects, and an evaluation of the pilot assessed the perceptions and experiences of LSHTM staff and partners involved in these projects and identified options for improvement.
The EquiPar Tool is designed to provide practical and pragmatic guidance for establishing and strengthening equitable partnerships.
Partnerships are a core element of Global Health research. LSHTM is committed to building equitable research partnerships that facilitate understanding, fairness, awareness of each other’s contexts, trust and mutual exchange of expertise and knowledge. Building on existing guidelines, we have developed the EquiPar Tool to Support Equitable Partnerships for Research Projects, to help LSHTM and our partners establish strong foundations and processes for our research partnerships. We intend that research teams will use EquiPar in their current and developing research projects to help them think through their partnerships systematically, prompting action and change where necessary to promote effective and equitable collaboration.
EquiPar was piloted for six months by six research projects involving collaboration between LSHTM and LMIC partners, and an evaluation of this pilot was conducted. The evaluation aimed to assess the perceptions and experiences of LSHTM staff and our partners in using EquiPar, and to identify options for improvement. An online workshop was held at the start of the pilot to introduce EquiPar and obtain initial feedback. At the end of the 6 month pilot the evaluation team conducted an online survey of all project staff who had engaged with the tool; in-depth interviews with a sub-set of staff from each project; and a closing workshop to present and discuss preliminary findings. The full report and summary of the pilot evaluation’s findings are available. We are currently working on implementing the recommendations from the report, including an updated version of the EquiPar Tool and plans for publicising it within and beyond LSHTM.
Principal Investigators
- Catherine Goodman (LSHTM)
- Ginny Bond (LSHTM)
Co-Investigators
- Amiya Bhatia (University of Oxford)
- Meenakshi Gautham (LSHTM)
- Lucy Gilson (LSHTM)
- Rachel Kawuma (MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit)
- Tolib Mirzoev (LSHTM)
- Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah (University of Cape Coast, Ghana)
- Fredros Okumu (Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania)
- Walaiporn Patcharanarumol (International Health Policy Program, Thailand)
- Joanna Schellenberg (LSHTM)
- Abdul Karim Sesay (MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM)
- Prashanth N Srinivas (Institute of Public Health Bangalore, India)
- Shirine Voller (LSHTM)
The EquiPar Tool is designed to provide practical and pragmatic guidance for establishing and strengthening equitable partnerships. It has been designed with individual research projects in mind and poses questions for research teams to consider on three key themes: people management and relationships, research activities and outputs, and contracting and resource management. The tool can be used by researchers at multiple stages during the research cycle, with the expectation that the questions posed can be considered in an open and consultative way with partners. We hope that the tool will be a useful resource for LSHTM staff and our partners, and that it may also be of relevance to other organisations working in Global Health research. An overview of the tool and how to use it is available in the EquiPar Tool introductory presentation.
The EquiPar Tool is available to download and can be used by all interested stakeholders. While the evaluation study has now been completed, we welcome feedback and suggestions for improvements from other researchers and teams who have made use of the tool.
- The EquiPar Tool Pilot Evaluation Report, January 2025
- The EquiPar Tool Pilot Evaluation report summary, January 2025
- The EquiPar Tool Pilot Evaluation: results and recommendations of the 6 month pilot - Presentation summarising the results and recommendations set out in the pilot evaluation report
- Enhancing the Equity of our Research Partnerships: the evidence base and LSHTM’s approach - presentation given at the Health Systems Research 2022 conference, Bogotá
LSHTM resources listed in the EquiPar Tool
The Tool lists a number of resources produced by partnerships involving LSHTM, which may provide useful models for others:
- RECAP Capacity Strengthening Workplan
- RESYST Consortium Capacity Development Strategy
- RESYST Consortium Capacity Needs Assessment
- RESYST Consortium Satisfaction Survey
- E-Pharmacy Publication Guidelines and Plan
- AMFm Dissemination Principles
Resources for LSHTM staff
In addition to the resources listed in the Tool, the following resources and guidance on data management and contracting are available to staff on the LSHTM intranet: