title: Health policy and systems research training: global status and recommendations for action.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics of health policy and systems research training globally and to identify recommendations for improvement and expansion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified institutions offering health policy and systems research training worldwide. In 2014, we recruited participants from identified institutions for an online survey on the characteristics of the institutions and the courses given. Survey findings were explored during in-depth interviews with selected key informants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study identified several important gaps in health policy and systems research training. There were few courses in central and eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa or Latin America. Most (116/152) courses were instructed in English. Institutional support for courses was often lacking and many institutions lacked the critical mass of trained individuals needed to support doctoral and postdoctoral students. There was little consistency between institutions in definitions of the competencies required for health policy and systems research. Collaboration across disciplines to provide the range of methodological perspectives the subject requires was insufficient. Moreover, the lack of alternatives to on-site teaching may preclude certain student audiences such as policy-makers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training in health policy and systems research is important to improve local capacity to conduct quality research in this field. We provide six recommendations to improve the content, accessibility and reach of training. First, create a repository of information on courses. Second, establish networks to support training. Third, define competencies in health policy and systems research. Fourth, encourage multidisciplinary collaboration. Fifth, expand the geographical and language coverage of courses. Finally, consider alternative teaching formats.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, England .
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tancred
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States of America .
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schleiff
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United States of America .
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, England .
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Balabanova
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000193:education*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014943:Global Health; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011361:Professional Competence; D012106:Research / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013663:Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration