Table 3 Summary of key suggestions for improving future RCS efforts
Target audience | Suggestions for improvements | |
|---|---|---|
1. | Funders or scheme/programme managers | Strengthen networks and provide platforms to support these efforts to enable effective sharing of approaches, experiences and learning with others involved in research capacity strengthening |
2. | Funders or scheme/programme managers | Ensure there is adequate funding to support high-quality monitoring and evaluation efforts |
3. | Funders or scheme/programme managers | Routinely engage with research capacity strengthening consortia to refine indicators and influence reporting; although vast majority of RCS is not done through consortia but is instead embedded within the larger research programme |
4. | Consortium leaders | Provide funding support to allow continuing professional development for monitoring and evaluation consortium staff, with a particular focus on capacity strengthening challenges |
5. | Consortium leaders | Look beyond the ‘simple’ identification of indicators to the processes and tools used to capture the needed data; it is vital that the approaches used are shared with other consortia to help establish best practices |
6. | Consortium leaders | Identify and/or refine high-quality and useful indicators for RCS, with an increased focus on the use of qualitative indicators |
7. | Consortium leaders | Ensure that timely processes for developmental evaluation and learning are in place and that learning is documented and shared to benefit others when possible |