To inform our ‘renewed’ collaboration, in 2020, we conducted a learning exercise among key stakeholders at Rollins School of Public Health and the Master on Development Practice at Emory and CARE – to generate insights into what has worked and what has not worked – in terms of the impact of the collaboration on research quality, capacity, and use – and recommendations for the collaboration moving forward.

Perspectives from key informants on successes and challenges were summarized in three major domains of collaboration (joint research projects, student engagement, and capacity strengthening) as well as their vision for the partnership moving forward. We are applying these insights to improve the collaboration between Emory and CARE.

The scope of this improved, more formalized collaboration is focused on joint work between CARE and the Rollins School of Public Health. However, it will provide a useful model for formalized collaboration with other Emory schools and programs, specifically, the Masters in Development Practice Program; Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Theology; departments in Emory College (Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology); and existing global networks.

Recommendations based on challenges that arose from previous collaborative efforts provide an opportunity to learn from the past and a solid foundation upon which to continue building this invaluable, strategic partnership:

• Develop an institutional framework for collaboration

• Provide structure to co-developed proposals

• Create standard language across contracts

• Designate a point person from each institution to steward collaboration and streamline communication

• Expand capacity strengthening opportunities bilaterally

• Strengthen student hiring approaches

• Develop and formalize graduate and post-graduate fellowship and training opportunities for Emory students at CARE

• Improve intern experiences through setting clear goals and mutual expectations

• Connect past and present CARE interns