[EXTENDED] Call for Expression of Interest: APO Consortia Selection 2024

21 October 2024
News release
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EXTENDED EOI: For a consortium of institutions to work with the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

APO Consortia Extended Deadline

Key Documents: 

 

Background

The Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (APO) is a partnership, hosted by WHO. It was established in 2011 as a partnership between WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Member States, and Academic Institutions, to address the gap in regionally relevant Health Policy and System Research (HPSR) in Asia Pacific. It aims to improve the competency and capacity of the regional and domestic HPSR ecosystem and support policymakers toward effective evidenced-informed policies. 

In 2024, APO developed its Medium-Term Strategy for 2023-2030. The MTS 2024-30 prioritises five cross-cutting themes based on priorities and challenges identified by countries, development agencies and funding partners. These themes provide space for academic institutions and policymakers to co-design policy-relevant research and its application. 

These five themes are:

  1. Models of sustainable financing, commissioning, delivering, and harmonising people-centered services including primary health care (PHC) to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). 
  2. Approaches to achieve and maintain fit-for-purpose health workforce now and into the future.
  3. Tackling inequities in health due to gender and social inequities, being uncounted or unreached.
  4. Use of digital health technologies and data to enhance health system outcomes.
  5. Health system resilience and adaptability to external and evolving pressures such as climate change and pandemics.

The purpose of this call is for institutions to join APO as a consortium to collaborate with APO on specific projects within the five themes above. The initial stage of selecting consortia will involve a review of the consortia application by the APO Secretariat and the Board.

 

APO Products: 

Thematic consortia are expected to be involved in the following APO products:

  • Thematic policy briefs
  • Comparative country studies
  • Journal articles
  • Policy dialogue 
  • Webinar and other events 

 

Eligibility Criteria: 

  • Based in the Asia Pacific
  • Proven history of producing high-quality research and evidence for health policy
  • Strong engagement with policymakers and stakeholders
  • Experience in capacity building and collaborative knowledge work across multiple countries

 

Duration of appointment: 

Selected institutions and consortia will be appointed for a period of five years with a contract and work plan approved by the APO Board subject to review of performance. 

 

Application Process: 

Interested institutions or consortia are invited to submit an application based on the official application form. The main body of the application should be a maximum of 10 pages (font size 12pt); any CVs, or standard text on the institution(s) applying, should be included in annexes.  

 

Selection Process: 

A subcommittee involving selected members of the Internal Review Panel, selected Board members and the APO secretariat will review and submit their comments to the Board. The APO Board will make the final selection on a consensus basis during their next Board meeting in early 2025.   

 

Deadline and Submission:   

EXTENDED 20 January 2025 

 

For Queries:   

Please contact the APO Secretariat at apobservatory@who.int