At the instigation of the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), six organizations came together to assess the current HIV/ AIDS research funding landscape. Collectively, they identified research training as both a shared top priority, and an area where all were in need of better data to guide their investments. The first step was therefore to commission an analysis of currently-available data and literature: "Funding HIV/AIDS research training in Canada: What do we know about outcomes?"
Each of the six organizations provides different kinds of training and career development supports and resources to different (though overlapping) groups of trainees and investigators. The agencies are now exploring ways to connect their investments such that trainees and young investigators have access to the widest possible range of research environments, experiences, mentors, and networking opportunities, regardless of who funds the particular trainee or environment.
For example, the six partners are exploring ways to:
- Provide their trainees and young investigators with access to each others’ conferences, workshops, and summer institutes
- Connect their trainees to relevant networks and mentors (wherever they might be)
- Help connect all HIV/AIDS trainees to each other (regardless of who funds them)
- Connect trainees to supportive research environments, such as teams and centres
- Provide more trainees and young investigators with access to structured training environments and mentoring
- Connect strategic planning processes to create programs which are more complementary across funders, and better connect trainees, mentors, and research environments
A link to the summary of the training outcomes report is noted above, for a copy of the full report, please contact info@cahr-acrv.ca.
