Regional Workshop on Clinical Research Pathways, Jakarta (Keynote presentation and moderation)
GlohMed team was invited to participate in a policy workshop titled “Global Clinical Research Pathways: Asia Evidence Gathering Workshop”, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 15-16, 2025. The workshop was jointly hosted by the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) and the Academy of Medical Sciences UK, as part of a global initiative that is exploring clinical research pathways for clinicians in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Previous workshops in this series have been conducted in Latin America and Africa. Dr. Suraj Bhattarai, founding director and investigator of GlohMed, serves the Working group of the CRP project at the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK.
The workshop convened clinician researchers (seniors and emerging scientists), research governance experts, funders and other stakeholders with multi-sectoral expertise to explore strategies for supporting and strengthening sustainable, locally embedded career pathways for clinical research in Asia. Invited participants included representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, India and Pakistan. The 2-day workshop was chaired by Prof. Jimmy Whitworth, FMedSci and Professor of International Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom and Prof. Detty Siti Nurdiati from the Indonesian Academy of Sciences. From Nepal, Dr. Suraj Bhattarai, Dr. Rabin Thami, and Prof. Ajit Rayamajhi, were invited to participate in the meeting, representing GlohMed along with its clinical research community in Nepal.
Dr. Bhattarai, also a sub-committee member of the Asia workshop, played a pivotal role in successful organization of the event. He delivered a keynote presentation titled “Reflections on pursuing clinical research as a career and establishment of a research institute (GlohMed) in Nepal.” His presentation addressed critical challenges in Nepal’s clinical research ecosystem, including: the absence of clear training pathways for clinical researchers, limited protected research time for clinicians, uncertainty regarding clinical research career prospects and lack of funding. Dr. Bhattarai also highlighted positive developments in Nepal, such as the growing interest in clinical research among young clinicians, the establishment of research institutions like GlohMed, and their roles in capacity strengthening for clinical research in Nepal. The workshop participants were divided into three groups to discuss three unique areas of clinical research pathways. Dr. Bhattarai moderated the discussion of ‘Training, Roles and Opportunities’ breakout group.
The workshop provided an intensive platform for participants to share insights and engage in discussions with a special focus on building institutional capacity within academic settings, universities, research centers, and healthcare facilities. It offered a comprehensive understanding of the current status of clinical research pathways across participating countries, the challenges faced, and innovative solutions through cross-country, regional, and continental knowledge sharing.
The event was highly successful in fostering collaboration and advancing strategies to enhance clinical research pathways in Asia, paving the way for sustainable development in the field.
