Empowering Local Leadership in Academic Biomedical Research and Education: Challenges, Inequalities and Models for Inclusive Collaboration

International partnerships focusing on biomedical research amongst academic institutions have been on the rise over the past two decades. These partnerships are commonly initiated and led by researchers from a higher-income country who propose to conduct research in a lower-income country. In turn, the researchers in the lower-income countries often have much less power, leadership, and authority in the partnership. In recent years, there has been movement to equalize power dynamics and bring leadership to the researchers in the country where the study is occurring. Capacity strengthening initiatives and policy changes have begun to shift leadership and power balances. However, large inequities and underrepresentation of key voices continues, especially among historically marginalized groups including women and those identifying with certain ethic groups or sexual orientation.

Current global priorities around equitable leadership and inclusivity highlight the critical need to address power imbalances and leadership inequities in global health collaborations among academic institutions. In addressing these issues, this Research Topic invites global health researchers, educators, and practitioners, especially those from lower-income countries, to discuss these challenges, share setbacks and failed collaborations, and highlight successful models. Critical discussion of challenges and setbacks is vital for promoting growth in this area, while sharing successes will help generate ideas for a pathway forward in empowering local leaders. We hope this conversation will be a platform for underrepresented voices to lead discourse and share their work.

The articles in this Research Topic will form a call to action in global health leadership equity and empowerment. These articles should provide insights, models, and best practices that will accelerate a global shift in international collaborative biomedical research and practice. As the world becomes more globalized and the spread of disease reminds us that health does not know geographic borders, it is necessary to recognize sustainable, successful partnerships to serve as models in global health work.

Discussion on this Research Topic requires representation from a broad range voices and perspectives. For this Research Topic, we seek a variety of article types focused on effective leadership models in collaborative research. This topic is open to general commentary, perspectives, original research, policy & practice reviews, and other forms of rigorous, scholarly work grounded in educational research and theory. Potential article topics and formats include:

• Case studies of systems leadership in international collaboration, including the roles of partners from higher-income countries and lower-income countries;
• Innovative approaches to fostering equity in leadership roles across regions;
• Barriers, challenges, opportunities, and initiatives to inclusive leadership across gender, ethnicity/race, and sexual orientation;
• Policy recommendations for inclusive participation in international collaborations;
• Sustainable programs and interventions that empower and strengthen capacities of local research leaders;
• Impact of leadership on project, research, and educational outcomes and sustainability.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Collaboration, Partnership, Leadership, Global Health, LMICs, Inclusion, Equity, Medical Research, International

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.