Research capacity enhancement is needed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for improved health, wellbeing, and health systems’ development. In this article, we discuss two capacity-building projects, the African/Asian Regional Capacity Development (ARCADE) in HealthSystems and Services Research (HSSR) and Research on Social Determinants of Health (RSDH), implemented from 2011 to 2015.
The two projects focussed on providing courses in HSSR and social determinants of health research, and on developing collaborations between universities, along with capacity in LMIC universities to manage research grant submissions, financing, and reporting. Both face-to-face and sustainable online teaching and learning resources were used in training at higher postgraduate levels (Masters and Doctoral level).