Finding the balance between academic productivity and impact

Evaluation of the Botswana - University of Pennsylvania partnership over a 5-year timeframe

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21878907
AutoresCorrado Cancedda (0000-0002-0214-955X, University of Pennsylvania), Merrian Brooks (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia), Oathokwa Nkomazana (0000-0002-2040-4059, Ministry of Health), Moses Keetile (United Nations Population Fund), Doreen Ramogola-Masire (University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana), Billy Tsima (0000-0002-8534-7198, University of Botswana), Andrew P Steenhoff (0000-0001-9002-8207, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia), Robert Gross (0000-0003-3810-6663, University of Pennsylvania), Surbhi Grover (0000-0001-7443-5937, University of Pennsylvania), Ebbing Lautenbach (0000-0003-4772-2409, University of Pennsylvania), Malebogo Kebabonye (University of Botswana), Keneilwe Motlhatlhedi (0000-0001-8225-6357, University of Botswana), Kagiso Ndlovu (0000-0002-4175-8366, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana), Glen N Gaulton (University of Pennsylvania), Glen Gaulton (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), F K Barg (0000-0003-3328-1980, University of Pennsylvania)
Año2026
Volumen11
Número1
Páginase017944
Fecha de publicación2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
EditorialBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2024-017944
PMID41545212
OpenAlexW7124438070
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas34

INTRODUCTION: There is consensus that global health needs a new power and incentive structure and academia must benefit society more directly. However, there are few metrics to help academic global health partnerships enact these changes.This study evaluates the impact of the Botswana - University of Pennsylvania Partnership (BUP) between July 2018 and June 2023, through the lenses of academic productivity, global health decolonisation and social accountability. METHODS: The data were organised based on BUP's five strategic goals. Alignment with Botswana's burden of disease was calculated through the ratio between the percentage of BUP's funding or activities devoted to 22 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets and the percentage of total disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for the same targets. RESULTS: BUP employed 67 full-time personnel, hosted 263 international personnel and raised US$22.6 million.BUP supported service delivery in public facilities across multiple specialties and trained hundreds of local health workers and 81 local investigators.Research output was 28 publications/year, 30% featuring a local investigator as first/last author.80% of grant funding went to research. Funding and activities were distributed primarily to Gaborone (75% and 69%) and hospitals (60% and 57%). Funding and activities were less for other geographic areas (25% and 31%) and health system levels (40% and 43%).BUP's DALYs alignment was strong for 7/22 SDG targets (ratio ≥80%), intermediate for 7/22 (ratio 40-79%) and weak for 8/22 (ratio <40%). Non-communicable diseases other than cancer, essential health services and determinants of health had weak or intermediate alignment. CONCLUSIONS: BUP had a significant impact in Botswana but also gaps in its portfolio and deliverables (including local first/last authorship and primary healthcare). The study's results can help tailor programming more consistent with local needs. This approach might inform evaluation of and strategic planning for other academic global health partnerships

Deliverable · General partnership · Portfolio · Productivity · Program evaluation · Strategic planning · Global Health and Surgery · Global Health Workforce Issues · Global Maternal and Child Health