1. Building HIV Social Research Capacity in Asia and the Pacific Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society National Centre in HIV Social Research

2. AHAPI

In 2005, NCHSR received an AHAPI grant to build HIV social research capacity in PNG.

Collaboration with PNGIMR (in Goroka)

10 research cadets trained full-time for a period of two years, in the classroom and in the field, undertaking real research projects (both quantitative and qualitative).

Designed to position social research as a central component of the evidence to buildeffective, sustainable responses to the HIV epidemic.

3. What have the cadets done?

Project on how high school students talk about sex and HIV (focus groups)

Violence against women- how two villages dealt with the problem (interviews)

Roll-out of ART in six sites (collaboration with Igat Hope)- survey, interviews with people on ART and clinic staff

Condom use and access in Tonga and Vanuatu (interviews with young people, sex workers and msm)

4. 5. AusAID Consortium

Success of AHAPI lead to AusAID setting up the HIV Consortium

Social research capacity-building a central component of that

ARCSHS and NCHSR combined to become one entity for the purposes of the Consortium

6. The Consortium: our approach

NCHSR and ARCSHS are committed to work together through the Consortium to build HIV social research capacity that is long-term, sustainable and indigenous in character.

We are committed to learning by doing:

• training through research projects (funded from outside this program)as well as classroom teaching

• partner in-country researchers in research projects

• Involvement of vulnerable communities in both research capacity-building and research

7. HIV Social Research Capacity Building

We aim to:

• Build institutional links between Australia and priority countries research centres and universities, AND to assist in building links between Asia-Pacific institutions

• Train new researchers in HIV social research: methods, critical thinking, writing for publication, dissemination

• Increase understanding of the benefits of HIV-related social research among health workers, policy-makers, NGOs, political leaders, community leaders and members

8. Types of research capacity building For places where little research development and capacityIn-country New researchersLong-term Capacity development (1-2 years) In-depth capacity building NCHSR, ARSCHS Researchers, research leaders Summer schools(2-4 weeks) Builds on aspects of research capacityIn-country Researchers, govts, NGOs, communityShort courses (3 day) Builds relationshipsOther events such as ASHM, ICAAP Researchers and NGOs, community 1-day workshopsUse WhereAimed at? Types 9. Countries we will work in

Vietnam (and use as a basis for Laos and Cambodia)

Indonesia

The Pacific (with Fiji as a base)

China

Timor Leste

10. Questions about HIV social research needsin each country?

Is there a tradition of indigenous social research?

What social research training is occurring at present?

What HIV research is being done?

What particular institutions are likely partners?

What about NGOs, FBOs and marginalised communities in HIV social research partnerships?

11. The Pacific

Helping build a Pacific Institute for HIV and STI research at the Fiji School of Medicine

Partners to include:

• FSM

• University the South Pacific

• Oceania Society for Sexual Health Medicine

• Secretariat for the Pacific Community

• Affected communities

• Other stakeholders

12. Indonesia

Three levels:

• National AIDS Commissions Research Working Group

• Partnerships with Universities to strengthen HIV social research capacity at the institutional level and with staff and students

• Community-based organisations

13. Timor Leste

Research capacity very low- HIV social research capacity non-existent

Project runs alongside NCHSRs Global Fund grant (BSS and qual research in Timor)

• Training two researchers

• Building capacity of Institute ofr Health Services and University of Peace and University of T-L

14. Mekong

ARCSHS building on past experience of work in Vietnam:

• Build a social research base that will inform the national response to HIV

• Train new researchers in HIV social research: methods, critical thinking, writing for publication, dissemination

• Encourage critical assessment of the social aspects of the HIV epidemic in each country and region

• Increase the use of HIV social research in the Mekong by workshops with stakeholders, MOH and communities

• Increase HIV social research by twinning with the universities in funding applications for social research projects.

15. Regional Network of HIV Social Researchers

This project aims to develop a Network of HIV Social Researchers in Asia and the Pacific to:

Assist in strengthening research institutions anddeveloping individual HIV social research skills

Support HIV social researchers in the region

Engender a sense of solidarity through pooling expertise and experience

Encourage discussion of research and research methods amongst Network members

Assist researchers in finding out about and applying for research funding - single country, multi-country and regional research

Assist in research dissemination and knowledge transfer among members

Assist with publishing

16. AusAID Support for Strategic Research in Indonesia, PNG and the Pacific

AusAID grant to both ARCSHS and NCHSR, topped up by Universities

Grant to be used to carry out research with marginalised and vulnerable populations- msm, sex workers, IDUs, mobile populations, and PLWHA

To be used in conjunction with capacity-building projects