Over seventy people working in public health — academics, researchers, professionals, policymakers and scholars early in their careers, drawn from around the globe — met recently at the University of Huddersfield for the fourth annual conference of the Global Consortium for Public Health Research (GCPHR), focused on making global health research more inclusive and responsive to the communities it serves.
Delegates were welcomed by Professor Parikshit Goswami, the university’s Director of Research and Innovation, and Professor Warren Gillibrand, Dean of the School of Human and Health Sciences, who both reaffirmed Huddersfield’s commitment to interdisciplinary, collaborative research addressing global health challenges. Professor Goswami said: “The conference had a wonderfully positive and collaborative atmosphere, bringing together colleagues from across disciplines, sectors and countries around a shared commitment to equitable partnerships in global health research. It was inspiring to see such energy, openness and ambition in the discussions.”
Partnerships are fundamental
Professor Padam Simkhada, GCPHR’s lead and Dean of Global Impact and Research at the University of Chester, looked back on the consortium’s progress since it launched in 2023, saying: “Equitable partnerships are fundamental to impactful global health research.
“Built on trust, mutual respect, and shared ownership, they ensure that local priorities and diverse expertise shape research agendas. Through GCPHR, we are fostering sustainable collaborations that strengthen capacity, co-create knowledge, and generate evidence that delivers meaningful and lasting benefits for communities worldwide.”
Keynote speakers Professor Andrew Lee, of Sheffield’s Centre for Health and Related Research, and Professor Paul Bissell, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Chester, focused on the overlap between emerging infectious disease threats and entrenched social inequality, calling for more cross-sector collaboration to strengthen health systems, improve pandemic readiness, and narrow health inequalities globally.
Running through the wider programme of invited talks was the conference’s central theme, “Equitable Partnerships in Global Health Research,” covering collaboration, building local research capacity, decolonisation, community involvement and translating research into practice.
Fairer participation
Several speakers stressed that lasting partnerships depend on mutual learning, mentorship and shared leadership between institutions in wealthier nations and lower- and middle-income countries. Professor Edwin van Teijlingen argued for fairer participation in academic publishing specifically, pointing to proper authorship and credit as essential to genuinely equitable partnerships.
One session specifically dedicated to decolonising the field of global health research heard from Dr Roxanne Keynejad, who stressed the importance of sustaining decolonial approaches even as global health funding tightens; Professor Abhay Gaidhane, who called for a shift from Global South researchers merely participating in research to actually leading it; and Professor Alfred E. Yawson, who emphasised partnerships built on shared decision-making and local ownership.
Elsewhere, Dr Gracia Fellmeth and Professor Komal Chawla spoke on building research capacity and equitable partnerships in lower- and middle-income countries, Dr Tim Arueyingho examined how cultural context shapes AI’s use in mental health, and Professor Julie Balen drew on examples from six African countries to show how genuine involvement from communities can help shift global health innovation away from its colonial roots while making research more relevant, fair and impactful.
The conference closed with a panel discussion concluding that public health research must stay inclusive, interdisciplinary and built on equitable partnerships to keep pace with a shifting political, economic and technological landscape.
Research showcase
Alongside the talks, a poster exhibition led by Dr Bibha Simkhada, Reader in Nursing and Deputy Director of Graduate Education (Nursing), Dr Devendra Raj Singh, Senior Skills Educator in Health & Social Care, and postgraduate research students showcased more than 20 research posters from Huddersfield doctoral students and partner institutions in the UK and abroad.
Dr Rajeeb Kumar Sah, Reader in Public Health, the School of Human and Health Sciences’ Strategic Lead International, and GCPHR co-lead, who organised the event, said: “The successful delivery of the 2026 GCPHR Annual Conference demonstrates the power of collective action in addressing complex public health challenges.
“The conference highlighted the importance of equitable partnerships in global health research, recognising that sustainable solutions require collaboration built on mutual respect, shared leadership and the meaningful involvement of researchers and communities across the world.”
Founded in 2023, GCPHR works to advance international collaboration on global health challenges through research, capacity-building and evidence-based policy engagement, building on three previous annual conferences since its launch.
