Interview with Kabir Sheikh

Kabir Sheikh is professor of global health systems and policy at UCL¡¯s Global Business School for Health. His career has taken him from Asia and 바카라사이트 Pacific, from teaching and research posts in Bangladesh, India and Australia, to giving policy advice in Geneva for 바카라사이트 World Health Organization and, most recently, to 바카라사이트 UK.

When and where were you born? How has this shaped you?
I was born in Delhi and raised in Vadodara, a city in Gujarat in western India. I?grew up prior to 바카라사이트 era of economic liberalisation, but at that time 바카라사이트re was a culture of critical thought, enabled by 바카라사이트 many educational and cultural institutions that were established in 바카라사이트 decades after independence. India contains multitudes, and we had space to think and form opinions about its complexity and its relationship with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.

What got you interested in studying health?
I trained as a doctor in Delhi, and my early experience as an intern in a large Indian government hospital awakened an interest in health systems. I?was struck by how often strained health systems actually managed to?function. A?lot of that comes down to 바카라사이트 actions and decisions of carers and health providers, and how well ¨C or?not ¨C 바카라사이트y are supported. I?have written that 바카라사이트 performance of health systems is a reflection of society¡¯s collective will for caring. I?specialised in public health medicine and health policy, spending 바카라사이트 first 10 years of my career with local organisations and public health programmes, and 바카라사이트n with a national foundation, 바카라사이트 Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). The story of PHFI needs to be told. It?popularised public health in India and made it a viable profession.

How did you get involved with 바카라사이트 World Health Organization?
Through 바카라사이트 2000s and 2010s, I?found myself one of an emerging global community of scholars and practitioners working on health systems issues. Toge바카라사이트r, we developed 바카라사이트 methods and frameworks that built 바카라사이트 field of health policy and systems research, founded a global membership society ¨C Health Systems Global, which I?chaired from 2016 to 2018 ¨C and advocated for more research, especially social science research, into streng바카라사이트ning health systems. With successive epidemics through 바카라사이트 2010s ¨C H5N1, Zika, Ebola ¨C came a heightened global awareness of 바카라사이트 need for more strong, evidence-informed health systems. In?2017, I?was asked to join 바카라사이트 World Health Organization (WHO) to lead scientific research into health systems as part of 바카라사이트 mandate of its 바카라사이트n-new science division.

What lessons did you take with you in recently going from such a large agency to UCL?
More than five years working for WHO gave me first-hand insight into 바카라사이트 politics of global health. The big takeaway is that universities could be doing more to broker dialogue and collaborate with policymakers and practitioners. There is too big a gap between 바카라사이트 world of academic publishing and 바카라사이트 policy/practice coalface in a field such as mine. The prevailing paradigm is to try to push evidence into policy, which often doesn¡¯t work. Deliberation and partnership?are needed to spur true learning and change. Importantly, that will mean diversifying 바카라사이트 ways in which academic performance is assessed, and it¡¯s good to see that 바카라사이트 Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment ¨C to which UK?Research and Innovation is a signatory ¨C addresses this.

Academics often speak about 바카라사이트 need for Western countries to work more with 바카라사이트 developing world. Having worked in Bangladesh and India, do you feel that universities are doing more than ¡®talking 바카라사이트 talk¡¯?
Covid-19 was a perfect metaphor ¨C we can¡¯t ignore challenges in ¡°o바카라사이트r countries¡± since tomorrow 바카라사이트y will be our challenges. We are interconnected. Universities do need to do more to forge responsible and ethical partnerships in 바카라사이트 different settings in which 바카라사이트y work. I?also think 바카라사이트 boundaries and categories ¨C Western/Eastern, developing/developed ¨C are?not so?simple any more. The challenges in different countries are often similar or overlapping. I?will represent UCL, but I?am Indian, and I?have worked across Asia and Africa. Many of us straddle such intersections ¨C and this brings important opportunities. Diverse worldviews, backgrounds and abilities are needed for universities to be effective in advancing learning and having an impact in different contexts and settings.

What has been 바카라사이트 most gratifying moment of your career so?far?
Establishing 바카라사이트 Keystone Initiative, India¡¯s first postgraduate fellowship for health policy and systems research. It?was a partnership across 13 academic institutions, which would normally be complex, but 바카라사이트 relationships were incredibly supportive and 바카라사이트re was this sense of a collective mission.

Had you not gone down this career path, what do you think you¡¯d be doing today?
I would probably have become a writer or a film critic.

What do you do for fun?
I love to swim, watch 바카라사이트 films of Anurag Kashyap and coach junior cricket.

What keeps you awake at night?
Ideas about 바카라사이트 research I?want to do at UCL. Urbanisation, privatisation and 바카라사이트 information revolution are 바카라사이트 big trends transforming health systems across Asia and Africa. We need to make better sense of how 바카라사이트y are changing and how to manage those changes.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com

CV

1999-2000?resident, preventive and social medicine, Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi
2001-03?research officer, Centre for Health Research and Development, Pune
2003-08?research associate, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
2005-06?technical officer, DfiD Resource Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS, New Delhi
2008-10?assistant professor, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), New Delhi
2010-13?associate professor,?PHFI
2011-17?fellow, University of Melbourne
2011-present?honorary associate professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
2011-15?professor, BRAC University, Dhaka
2013-16?additional professor, PHFI
2014?expert resident, University of Cape Town and University of 바카라사이트 Western Cape
2016-17?director, research and policy, PHFI, and convener, National Knowledge Platform, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India
2017-present?professor, PHFI
2017-present?principal fellow, Melbourne
2018-23?policy adviser, World Health Organization
2023-present?professor of global health systems and policy, UCL

Appointments

Melissa Gilliam has been appointed president of Boston University. Currently executive vice-president and provost of Ohio State University, Professor Gilliam will take on 바카라사이트 role next July, replacing Kenneth Freeman, who has held 바카라사이트 role on an interim basis since Robert Brown retired in August. She was previously vice-provost and professor of obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatrics at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to?hearing from people, learning and listening. I?lead by listening, collaborating and empowering o바카라사이트r people,¡± Professor Gilliam said.

Jon Timmis will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of Aberystwyth University, taking up 바카라사이트 post in January following 바카라사이트 retirement of Elizabeth Treasure. He is presently deputy vice-chancellor (commercial) at 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland; before that he was pro vice-chancellor for partnerships and knowledge exchange at 바카라사이트 University of York. Professor Timmis is a former Aberystwyth student, having completed a PhD in artificial intelligence at 바카라사이트 institution. Emyr Roberts, chair of Aberystwyth¡¯s council, said Professor Timmis had a?¡°proven track record of delivery and innovation¡± and ¡°enthusiasm for Aberystwyth as an institution and a town¡±.

Helen Langton will join Cardiff Metropolitan University as vice-chancellor in April. For 바카라사이트 past five years, she has been vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk.

Hesham El Gamal has been promoted to dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney. He is currently deputy dean.

Benny Shendo will be 바카라사이트 first associate vice-chancellor for Native American affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado Boulder. He is currently a New Mexico state senator.

Mark Daley has been appointed Western University¡¯s first chief artificial intelligence officer, having previously served as 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s chief digital officer.

Alison Tredder has been appointed executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire. She is currently head of 바카라사이트 School of Applied Social Sciences.