American University of Beirut

About Us


The Center for Systematic Reviews on Health Policy and Systems Research (SPARK) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) was established in 2013 funded by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research at the World Health Organization (WHO). The Center is a joint collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine (FM) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS).​

Mission

The mission of SPARK is to produce high-quality systematic reviews that respond to health policy and systems priority issues at the national and the regional level. The Center will also develop the capacity of young researchers in the Region in conducting systematic reviews of Health Policy and Systems Research.

Vision

Our vision is to become the leading resource center for producing high quality Systematic Reviews on Health Policy and Systems Research priorities in the Region.

    Mission & Vision

    Mission​

    SPARK specializes in the production of systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis products that respond to health policy and system priorities. SPARK also builds capacity to conduct systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis products at the individual, team, institutional, and system level. 
    ​​

    ​Vision

    Our vision is to become the leading resource center for producing high-quality evidence synthesis products on health policy and systems priorities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and be​yond. ​

    Members

    ​​
    Co-Director
    Co-Director
    Information Specialist
    Lama Bou Karroum
    Researcher
    Racha Fadlalla
    Researcher
     
    Diana Jamal
    Affiliated Researcher​


    Tamara Lotfi
    Affiliated Researcher
    ​​​

    Partners

    ​The American University of Beirut - Faculty of Health Sciences



    The Faculty of Health Sciences prepares professionals in the disciplines of public health and health sciences through graduate and undergraduate programs, and introduces future physicians to public health. It contributes to knowledge and the improvement of the public's health in Lebanon and the region by conducting scholarly and relevant research and by responding to priority health issues and training needs in collaboration with stakeholders. In all of its functions, FHS promotes and adheres to the principles of ethics, social justice, and collective responsibility.​

    The American University of Beirut - Faculty of Medicine



    The AUB Medical School and Medical Center are committed to educate and train the best physicians and biomedical research leaders to meet future health care needs in the region, advocating for the community’s well-being and access to care by providing quality patient care, cost effectiveness, and patient satisfaction and performing premier clinical research. and education.

    The American University of Beirut - Faculty of Health Sciences - Knowledge to Policy Center 



    The Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Centre was established at AUB under the Faculty of Health Sciences. The center aims at strengthening public health policy and ultimately enhancing health outcomes in the region. K2P targets policymakers, decision makers and the public at large and engages them through a collaborative problem solving approach. K2P draws on an unparalleled breadth of synthesized evidence and context-specific knowledge to impact policy agendas and action. K2P does not restrict itself to research evidence but draws on and integrates multiple types and levels of knowledge to inform policy including grey literature, opinions and expertise of stakeholders.

    Alliance funded systematic reviews centers:

    • Chile: Centre for Systematic Reviews of Health Policy and System Research in LMICs
    • China: Centre for Systematic Reviews on Health Financing
    • South Africa: South Africa Center for Systematic Reviews

    ​The Cochrane Collaboration



    The Cochrane Collaboration is an international network of more than 31,000 dedicated people from over 120 countries.The Cochrane Library is an online collection of databases that brings together in one place rigorous and up-to-date research on the effectiveness of healthcare treatments and interventions, as well as methodology and diagnostic tests. The Collaboration’s mission is to help people make well-informed decisions about health care by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions

    The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation​


    ​The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (short GRADE) Working Group began in the year 2000 as an informal collaboration of people with an interest in addressing the shortcomings of present grading systems in health care. The working group has developed a common, sensible and transparent approach to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Many international organizations have provided input into the development of the approach and have started using it.​

    The McMaster Health forum


    The mission of the McMaster Health forum is to harness the best available evidence, convene concerned citizens and influential thinkers and doers, and prepare action-oriented leaders to meet pressing health challenges creatively.The Health Systems Evidence database, created by the Forum,   is a continuously updated repository of syntheses of research evidence about governance, financial and delivery arrangements within health systems, and about implementation strategies that can support change in health systems.

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