Developing capacity for research, innovation and knowledge exchange in HIV between the Colombia and the UK

This project is an initiative of capacity building in research, innovation and knowledge exchange on HIV issues in Bogota, between the Center for Global Health and Infection at Brighton & Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the Public Health Research Group of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (EMCS) of the Universidad del Rosario, with financial support from the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland (Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland) obtained through the Links with Developing Countries Scheme. In November 2020, both institutions decided to join academic and research efforts in the realization of this project with the ultimate goal of contributing to the co-construction of knowledge on HIV in Bogota. The BSMS Global Health and Infections research center has a relevant history of academic collaboration with various institutions at the international level and a high commitment to the capacity of co-construction of knowledge through these partnerships. For its part, the EMCS of the Universidad del Rosario and its Public Health Research Group have a relevant record of productive academic collaborations with international institutions and especially has shown a commitment to the local and global development of knowledge. The present collaborative project, once approved by the ethics committee, will be carried out in three areas: research, educational and collaborative: 1. In the research area, a pilot project will be conducted to identify barriers and facilitators for access to HIV prevention, care services and treatment in the city of Bogotá, D.C., as well as to explore the possible impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the provision of these services. At the collaborative level, a multidisciplinary research network will be established between Colombia and the United Kingdom for the future development of research in the field of HIV at the national level. Finally, at the educational level, through the planning and execution of this project, one graduate student from each cooperating institution and four undergraduate students from EMCS will be trained.