Partnerships for Better Health – CIHR-ICRH Strategic Plan 2022-2025
Priority C: Catalyzing Impact Through Knowledge Mobilization

Strategic Goal

To maximize the impact of new and existing knowledge created by and for the ICRH research community.

Past

CIHR played an important leadership role in developing a knowledge translation framework and impact opportunities for health research. The 2021-2031 CIHR Strategic Plan has a renewed emphasis on knowledge translation by recognizing the evolving field of KM as a key priority to reimagine the uptake, scale and spread of evidence so it is ingrained within Canadian health systems.

Over the past six years, ICRH has continued to participate in KM activities such as the Best Brains Exchanges or end-of-grant workshops (e.g., Effects of the Alberta Wildfires dissemination workshop), supported mandate-specific research training programs and provided opportunities for networking and collaboration (e.g., travel awards, strengthening workshops and planning and dissemination meeting grants.). Collectively, these activities have provided lessons about effective engagement strategies and will inform future and ongoing KM strategies.

Present

Over the course of the pandemic, there have been growing concerns over the abundance of science and health misinformation and the need to combat it. Social media platforms and communication tools have provided opportunities for widespread sharing of diverse perspectives on health topics, particularly those related to, the response to and prevention of, COVID-19.

Now more than ever, it is paramount that credible information sources that disseminate scientifically sound health information earn the trust and confidence of Canadians. Communicating key findings in an accessible format may encourage the public to be well-informed in their efforts to make evidence-based choices that are more closely aligned with current health recommendations.

Future

As the science of KM evolves, the Institute will remain nimble and responsive to the strategies where knowledge is successfully mobilized into action. ICRH will work with valued partners to cultivate trust, transparency and confidence within the research community to address evidence gaps and areas of concern.

We will seek innovative ways to contribute to meaningful and accessible KM activities within our mandate. The Institute will promote for the need for high quality, impactful KM strategies, while creating inclusive opportunities for members of our research community to share their findings. We will champion research evidence that builds and encourages the health literacy of Canadians.

Strategies

• 1) Addressing Gaps

  The Institute will encourage KM funding opportunities to address critical translational gaps in the health research ecosystem.

• 2) Embedding KM Requirements

  The Institute will embed KM requirements in funding opportunities, capacity development initiatives and ensure strategic funding peer review panels include appropriate KM expertise.

• 3) Contributing Leadership

  The Institute will contribute leadership to develop and implement the new CIHR KM Action Plan and tool kit (e.g., Café Scientifique and Planning and Dissemination Grants), including health innovations (e.g., virtual care and artificial intelligence [AI]) within the circulatory and respiratory health research community.

• 4) Requiring Community Engagement

  The Institute will require the inclusion of patients, PWLE, knowledge users and decision makers in research funding opportunities to mobilize evidence efficiently, effectively and appropriately.

• 5) Promoting Informed Decision-Making

  The Institute will promote the inclusion of science and evidence in health policy and system decision-making in emerging areas of importance (e.g., CIHR Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies, clinical trials initiatives, data sharing and AI).

• 6) Extending Outreach

  The Institute will implement creative communication approaches to ensure KM efforts focus on communities and populations that have been historically hard to reach (e.g., Indigenous communities, remote/rural communities and newcomers to Canada).

• 7) Encouraging Innovation

  The Institute will propose and champion creative KM funding opportunities, including trainee supports and clinical trial initiatives, to advance the dissemination, application and implementation of knowledge into practice.

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Date modified:

2022-06-09