ISSUE 49: MAY-JULY 2008
network of research and training centres/programmes
FRONT PAGE | ARCHIVE |
Major review of nutrition training planned
Representatives of the UNU Food and Nutrition Programme (UNU-FNP) came away from the recent 35th session of the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN) in Hanoi with a plan to partner with SCN in conducting and publishing a comprehensive review of graduate training in international nutrition.
The SCN meeting focused on two primary themes: the current state of academic and research institutions in developing regions and the need to strengthen their capacity and sustainability; and the role of universities in addressing regional public health nutrition needs. Universities are finding it difficult to retain young faculty because of low salaries, deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate resources to conduct research and increased teaching obligations.
The proposed review of graduate training programmes to be undertaken by UNU-FNP and SCN will:
- Recommend a curriculum that reflects current needs, challenges and opportunities and enables transformative advancements in translating new nutrition knowledge into practice.
- Include a cost/benefit analysis of educating PhD students from developing regions in regional versus western universities.
- Strengthen south-south collaborations among training and research institutions for knowledge sharing, research and training to overcome the insularity of regions and institutions.
- Renew efforts towards north-south collaborations among training and research institutions for effective resource and knowledge sharing that is responsive to capacity needs of institution, country and region.
© 2008 United Nations University