Today’s academic institutions are far from maximising their potential for catalysing social change, opined Assistant Professor Clarence Tam and Dr Vittoria Offeddu from SSHSPH, Assistant Professor Voo Teck Chuan, NUS Centre for Biomedical Ethics, and Assistant Professor Neisha Sundaram, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
In terms of social value, current assessments appear tokenistic and irrelevant. For example, asking academics how many policies will result from their research, or how much disease will be averted as a result of implementing new interventions, ignores the fact that many academics lack training in policymaking and advocacy, as well as that most policies take years to implement. The focus on metrics of volume and prestige also disadvantages those who can most contribute towards a more inclusive, representative and progressive research community.
What more can be done to ensure genuine impact of public health research?
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