Our aim is to develop the skills and knowledge of all people involved in research translation by providing opportunities to build expertise and capacity and enabling collaboration. Our activities to deliver this include developing and growing our capacity building platform and adopting a two-pronged approach encompassing:
- Linking with, supporting and promoting current capacity building activities that are part of partner, state and national programs of work. and;
- Developing and implementing a strategic plan for the state-wide approach to research translation capacity building in SA.
Translating research into products and services that improve people’s lives is rarely a linear process. Rather it is dynamic and iterative and takes place within a complex system. Successful research translation requires a diverse skillset beyond that of traditional research skills.
Research Translation Capacity Building Steering Committee
Ensuring a co-ordinated, connected and state-wide approach to building the capabilities of the research translation workforce in SA is important. In May 2019 the Research Translation Capacity Building Steering Committee was formed to guide and inform our capacity building strategy.
To facilitate this, a preliminary scoping of the ‘health translation’ landscape was conducted with leading experts in research translation across a broad array of disciplines and sectors.
Under the guidance of the Committee, a strategic plan for Research Translation Capacity Building in SA was developed, focussing on three long-term key pillars:
Training and Resource Development
HTSA has identified and promoted relevant courses being run by our partners and other translation centres across Australia. A suite of introductory educational resources to build understanding and operational clarity around research translation are currently in development.
This is in part informed by a commissioned Rapid Review that focused on the meaning and use of current terminology. We have also identified key competencies for effective research translation, and mapped and published current training opportunities via our online training portal. HTSA also offered the Entrepreneurial Research Accelerator Program to all ‘Better Care’ projects (funded by the MRFF in 2018/19) and HTSA’s Flagship Program.
Career Pathway
Development
A research translation competency framework is being developed by the Capacity Building Steering Committee and will be used to inform career pathway development opportunities and fellowships. As previously noted HTSA is also developing and supporting a Data Translation Fellowship program commencing in early 2020 as part of the Clinical Informatics Hub.
This will include networking and mentorship opportunities and career pathway development in the health system. HTSA also supports the development of the National Indigenous Capacity Building Network (An AHRA initiative led by Professor Alex Brown). This includes supporting the roll-out of an implementation fellowship program as part of the Aboriginal Capacity Building Project (funded by the MRFF in 2019).
Networking and
Mentorships
Facilitating relationship building and collaboration amongst researchers and between researchers, industry, and consumers is a core principle of all work undertaken by HTSA. In 2019 we brought together these key stakeholder groups to consider the opportunities for SA to leverage its strengths on larger scale collaborative projects or strategic planning. To do this we supported and, in some cases coordinated, several events –
– Connected Health Cities: ‘Learning health systems at scale for innovation and improvement’ (Mar 2019)
– Advancing the Science and Practice of Implementation and Improvement in SA (Oct 2019)
– Equity in Health Forum (Dec 2019)
– SA Cancer Care Consortium (hosted by SAHMRI, Nov 2019)
Following on from these events we support ongoing communities of practice and relationship development in these fields.
Members
Professor Alison Kitson
Flinders University
Professor Gill Harvey
University of Adelaide
Professor Zoe Jordan
University of Adelaide/Joanna Briggs Institute
Dougal Edwards
Bright Arena
Professor Julie Ratcliffe
Flinders University
Professor Jon Karnon
Flinders University
Professor Mark Mackay
University of South Australia
Assoc. Professor Peter Hibbert
SAHMRI
Assoc. Professor Saravana Kumar
University of South Australia
Julia Overton
HCASA
Dr Karla Canuto/ Dr Natasha Howard
SAHMRI Wardliparingga
Dr Agustina Gancia
HTSA
Dr Ecushla Linedale
HTSA
Rachel Newrick
SA Health
Robert Kluttz
CEIH
Together with our three University partners, SAHMRI and the CSIRO, HTSA coordinated the Higher Research Degree Student Open Night for translational health and medical research on the 19 September 2019. Adopting a new expo style format and including greater participation from student representatives, the event attracted 120 students.
HTSA in action
Read our Case study on Developing Skills and Knowledge in Research Translation below
Research Translation Training
Develop your skill-set with our new resources
