Canada and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies establish new research partnership

In 2009, CIHR released a new strategic plan, Health Research Roadmap, which highlights the need to accelerate the capture of health and economic benefits of health research. To support this strategic direction, CIHR's Knowledge Translation Branch and CIHR's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research has partnered with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies to help foster positive exchanges between health researchers and policy makers, thereby working to bridge the gap between the worlds of science and policy making.

Specifically CIHR with the Observatory will provide support to a short-term policy assignment through CIHR's Science Policy Fellowship program. The program will provide an opportunity to engage with the Observatory's policy research and knowledge brokering; garner policy relevant experience; support a significant and timely project; and foster sustained research to policy links and stronger networks between Canada and Europe.

CIHR with the Observatory will also provide support for a project under the CIHR's Healthcare Renewal Policy Analysis program. This policy analysis opportunity will support a partnership between a Canadian research team and the Observatory to carry out analysis relevant to the Observatory's program on performance. This opportunity will enable the research team to draw on an existing international body of work to illuminate choices for Canadian policy and decision makers and to foster further development of comparative health policy analysis research.

For further details please feel free to contact:

Laurel Taylor
Assistant Director 
Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
3666 McTavish Street
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
Tel: 514-398-6038
Email: ltaylor.ihspr@mcgill.ca

Suszy Lessof
Director of Management
European Observatory on Health Systems & Policies
WHO European Centre for Health Policy
Rue de l'Autonomie 4
1070 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32-(0) 2525 0930
Email: szy@obs.euro.who.int