Building Research Leadership for Global Health Impact

Global health research training programs have traditionally emphasized methodological competencies, yet technical skills alone cannot ensure equitable partnerships, effective crosscultural collaboration, or durable and locally relevant research impact in international settings. The Research Leadership Academy (RLA) was developed to fill this gap. The RLA is a structured leadership curriculum embedded within the NIH Fogarty-funded UJMT LAUNCH global health research fellowship grounded in experiential learning and established global leadership frameworks. The RLA aligns leadership training with key fellowship milestones, enabling fellows to learn and apply skills in real time at their international research sites. The curriculum was iteratively refined based on trainee feedback, transitioning from didactic instruction to case-based and discussion-oriented learning. The RLA provides a practical model for strengthening global health research leadership capacity and advancing collaborative, contextually grounded global health research.