Towards sustainable partnerships in global health: the case of the CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases in Peru

Abstract

Human capital requires opportunities to develop and capacity to overcome challenges, together with an enabling environment that fosters critical and disruptive innovation. Exploring such features is necessary to establish the foundation of solid long-term partnerships. In this paper we describe the experience of the CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, based at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru, as a case study for fostering meaningful and sustainable partnerships for international collaborative research. The CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases was established in 2009 with the following Mission: “We support the development of young researchers and collaboration with national and international institutions. Our motivation is to improve population’s health through high quality research.” The Centre’s identity is embedded in its core values — generosity, innovation, integrity, and quality— and its trajectory is a result of various interactions between multiple individuals, collaborators, teams, and institutions, which together with the challenges confronted, enables us to make an objective assessment of the partnership we would like to pursue, nurture and support. We do not intend to provide a single example of a successful partnership, but in contrast, to highlight what can be translated into opportunities to be faced by research groups based in low- and middle-income countries, and how these encounters can provide a strong platform for fruitful and sustainable partnerships. In defiant contexts, partnerships require to be nurtured and sustained. Acknowledging that all partnerships are not and should not be the same, we also need to learn from the evolution of such relationships, its key successes, hurdles and failures to contribute to the promotion of a culture of global solidarity where mutual goals, mutual gains, as well as mutual responsibilities are the norm. In so doing, we will all contribute to instil a new culture where expectations, roles and interactions among individuals and their teams are horizontal, the true nature of partnerships.

Conceptualizing centers of excellence: A global evidence

“…CoE is a team of specialized expertise (25-37, 40-42, 47, 49, 62, 66, 69, 84, 85, 89, 92, 98, 100) or organizational environment (25, 31, 35, 38, 40, 41, 50, 51, 55, 61, 74, 94, 96, 97, 101) that is established to provide outstanding healthcare (24-42, 44-49, 51-64, 69, 73, 75, 79-80), research (25, 27-29, 32, 39, 41, 44, 47, 51, 59, 65-74, 77, 78, 80-83), education and training (25, 26, 32, 41, 47, 49, 59, 67, 75, 77-81, 83, 84-88), regulatory (24, 43, 81), policy (50, 78, 95-98), information technology (92-94) or industrial (89-91) services and support in high levels of efficient and effective performance. CoEs are geographically concentrated and focused on high potential in science and industry (98), as a world leader or a catalyst between neighboring countries (46, 73, 78), anywhere from the local R&D group up to a network of co-operative partners.…”

Reforms in medical education: lessons learnt from Kyrgyzstan

“…By using these different approaches and tools the intangible element of relationships and trust is created. This element of trust and relationships has been highlighted as essential in fostering partnerships for successful projects [ 23 , 24 ]. By continuously engaging stakeholders as well as using research and monitoring and evaluation also help adapt the strategic direction of the reforms accordingly.…”

The scientific production of medical students in Lima, Peru

“…The UPCH is the medical school with the highest scientific production in Peru [42,43]. Many research institutes and excellence centers with prolific and experienced researchers actively cooperate with undergraduate students from this university [44,45,46]. In addition, the UPCH has the highest economic funding in the country for their undergraduate students [12].…”