gms | German Medical Science

Your Idea(s)/Your creative contribution: Background: The number of voices addressing power asymmetries in global health research has been growing in recent years. Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA), the University of Bielefeld in cooperation with the University of education Freiburg offered an innovative online training by three workshop-style blocks over six months on developing a decolonial lense in the German global health research context. The training offered stems from scolars and activists around the world to reflect on the needs, approaches and responsibilities to address power imbalances in global health research in general and in the context of Germany. Goals of the training comprise the building of a foundational understanding of coloniality and decolonisation in global health research from an interdisciplinary and transnational perspective, and the development of a decolonial lense and allyship practice to foster equitable German global health research collaborations in future [1].

Aim: The aim is to share and discuss our lessons learned from the training in order to raise awareness on power imbalances in health research. Pursuing the goal of sustainable evidence, equitable research collaborations have to be promoted that tackle the needs of communities [2], [3]]. A further aim is to demonstrate the interconnectedness of debates on equity in global health and on climate change.

Methods: The authors present their personal experiences with power imbalances in health research on national and international level and their reflections following the training in alternating speech by questions and answers on the results. After the bilateral input exchange, the audience will be invited to an open dialogue. Statements, questions, and/or hypotheses for further research and training will be collected by a facilitator using presentation cards being attached to a board.

Conclusion: The results of the performance will be documented in a discussion paper developed by all participants interested following the conference.

Event requirements: Projector, screen, whiteboard, moderation cards, chairs, no tables

Duration: 60 minutes