Adapting the global research agenda to local contexts

On 23 March 2026, more than 150 researchers, policy-makers, knowledge brokers and practitioners from 40 countries joined a WHO webinar to explore how the Global research agenda on knowledge translation and evidence-informed policy-making can be adapted to regional and national contexts.

The webinar - the second in a series organized by WHO's Science for Health Department - underscored a central message: research agendas matter most if they are implemented and tailored to local realities. As Miriam Orcutt, global health physician and former WHO Technical Officer, noted: "What is the point of a research agenda if it is not implemented, and if it is not contextualised to the regional and national context?"

Co-developed between 2023 and 2025 with more than 130 experts from nearly 40 countries, the Global research agenda sets out 19 cross-sectoral research priorities aimed at narrowing the gap between evidence and policy. Moderating the session, Sarah Charnaud - who facilitates research priority-setting at WHO - set the scene for the webinar, highlighting the importance of adapting the Global research agenda to regional and national contexts, drawing on lessons from Brazil and from WHO's work on health, migration and displacement.

Bastien Kolt, Technical Officer in WHO's Science for Health Department and lead coordinator of the agenda-setting initiative, outlined progress on the agenda and emphasized that current efforts are focused not only on dissemination, but also on mobilizing partners and funders and supporting local adaptation where there is demand. He also highlighted ongoing work with academic partners to examine barriers, facilitators and effective approaches for implementing global research agendas.

Patrícia de Campos Couto, General Coordinator of Evidence and Health Research at Brazil's Ministry of Health, shared how Brazil is using the Global research agenda to inform the development of its own national research priorities. She described a structured process across the Ministry of Health to qualify and prioritize research demands so that limited resources can better support evidence-informed policy.

Drawing on WHO's work on health, migration and displacement, Miriam Orcutt also shared lessons from adapting global research agendas in different settings. She emphasized the importance of local demand, inclusive interest-holder engagement, integration into existing structures, and sustained funding and follow-up to help turn global priorities into practical roadmaps for action.

Speakers also underscored the need for collaboration across academia, policy and practice, as well as sustained investment if research priorities are to shape policy decisions and strengthen health systems.

The webinar highlighted a special issue of Health Research Policy and Systems entitled Advancing Research Prioritization, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Implementation Strategies. The collection invites contributions on research prioritization frameworks, methodologies and real-world applications, with submissions open until 8 July.

The webinar forms part of WHO's broader efforts to strengthen implementation of the Global research agenda and to support countries and regions in adapting research priorities to their specific policy needs and health system realities.