The 8th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research invites you to submit abstracts for consideration.
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Conference theme and subthemes
Submit an abstract:
Deadlines
Organised sessions: January 30, 2024
Individual sessions: February 20, 2024
Capacity strengthening sessions: April 1, 2024
Symposium theme
Find out more about the HSR2024 theme, Building Just and Sustainable Health Systems Centring People and Protecting the Planet, and subthemes.
Across all these themes, we welcome a range of types of sessions. The Symposium also seeks to build the field of health systems research, in addition to addressing important thematic areas. Sessions that allow examining a common set of problems, develop/advance a body of theory and knowledge, and/or consider common practices are therefore welcome. Overall, the range of abstracts sought includes the following field-building dimensions:
- Cutting-edge conceptual, empirical, and/or synthesis research;
- Innovative research approaches, methods and measures;
- Successful and/or novel strategies for developing capacity;
- Platforms and mechanisms to share and translate knowledge; and
- Innovative practice in health systems development
Symposium languages
Abstracts in English, Spanish and French will be accepted. Posters may be produced in English, French or Spanish.
Submitting your abstract
Organized sessions
Organizers may submit proposals for 90-minute sessions under two different ‘session type’ categories:
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- Participatory sessions: These could be round table discussions, debates, ‘fishbowl’ discussions, simulations, games, pyramid sessions, group modelling, or any other approach that actively encourages audience participation.
- Panel presentations: This format is the traditional panel presentation, but organizers must allow adequate time for audience discussion and interaction.
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The organized session template requires the following information:
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- Title (maximum 25 words)
- Session type
- Thematic area and field-building dimension
- The session organizer’s contact details
- Contributors’ details: the session chair/ moderator as well as a maximum of four/five named additional contributors, who will play active roles in the session; whether the lead author is from a low- or middle-income country
- A short (50-word) overview of the organized session that will appear in the Symposium program
- A 400-word (maximum) summary of the session content, including: purpose/objective, technical content, target audience and significance for the selected thematic area and/or field-building dimension; learning objectives
- A 400-word (maximum) summary of the planned session process, including: short description of any presentations or inputs, the moderation or management approach of the session, the role of contributors – both those named in the abstract and any others with planned roles, and a rough breakdown as to how the 90 minutes will be used.
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Evaluation criteria
In line with the core Symposium principles, the Scientific Committee will be asked to assess organized sessions on the basis of: (i) technical merit; (ii) relevance to the Symposium theme; (iii) significance for the sub-theme area and/or field-building dimension; (iv) engagement of policy-makers, managers and civil society groups (i.e. chair and those with planned roles); and (v) potential for active involvement by the audience.
Submit your abstract for an organised session
Individual abstracts
Individuals can submit abstracts as a paper, poster or multimedia presentation.
A paper is a 10-minute oral presentation with 5 minutes allowed for questions. Note: If an abstract is submitted as a paper, it may be accepted as a poster – please do not submit a paper and a poster for the same abstract.
A poster is a physical display that is no more than 120 cm by 80 cm in size.
A multimedia presentation could be a short film, documentary, animated film or photo-essay and should be no longer than 15 minutes in total presentation time.
Those submitting individual abstracts will be required to submit the following information:
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- Title (maximum 25 words)
- Speaker contact details
- Sub-theme and field-building dimension
- For multimedia submission: link to the video/photos if available
- List of co-authors for listing in the abstract book, if applicable
- An abstract of 400 words or less
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Abstract format
A structured abstract should be prepared for empirical research presentations, covering background, methods, results and discussion/conclusions.
For conceptual research or work under other field-building dimensions, abstracts should cover Purpose, focus/content, significance for the sub-theme area/field-building dimension of relevance and target audience.
Individual abstracts may be accepted either for oral, multimedia or poster presentation.
*Note: oral submissions will automatically be considered for posters so there is no need to submit twice.
Evaluation criteria
In line with the core principles of the Symposium, the Scientific Committee will be asked to assess individual abstracts based on: (i) technical merit; (ii) relevance to the Symposium theme; (iii) significance to the sub-theme area and field-building dimension.
Submit your abstract for an individual session
Capacity strengthening sessions
Capacity strengthening is a core element of our mission and related sessions have become a regular and very popular feature of the HSR symposia. Usually taking place before the main conference days, these sessions have addressed diverse topics and provided important opportunities to share experiences.
Our overall goal is to contribute to developing the field of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR). We also seek to serve the needs of our diverse membership, including decision-makers, practitioners, advocates, educators and researchers. We start with the understanding that there are three interlinked layers of capacity for HPSR: individual, organisational and network. Whilst individual-level skills building is important, HPSR field-building will require CS activities that also address the organisational and/or network levels.
We encourage sessions that:
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- consider the organisational and network levels of capacity strengthening;
- address audiences other than researchers/evaluators;
- tackle topics other than those focused on research issues or methods (ex., teaching and learning, advocacy, leadership for learning health systems, and more)
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Although we encourage these abstracts to consider the overall Symposium theme and sub-themes, this is not required for CS abstracts. Sessions should be 2 hours, 3.5 hours, or full-day workshops.
Submit your abstract for a capacity strengthening session
Guidelines on the number of presentations per person
In order to foster diversity, each person will be permitted to present a maximum of:
- Once in an organized session (either as chair/moderator or named contributor);
- Once in individual abstract-based sessions;
The Scientific Committee will review multiple submissions that include the same-named contributor, but the Program Working Group will be responsible for finalizing abstract selection to maximize diversity and ensure balance across the program.
Travel support
Organizers of the Eighth Global Symposium hope to be able to provide travel support to some participants, in particular residents of low- or middle-income countries and full-time students (from countries of all income levels).
- Applications for travel support will be accepted only after the results of the organized session and individual abstract review process are complete.
- Applications will only be accepted from those who have had an individual abstract accepted (for poster and/or oral presentation) or who are named contributors within an accepted organized session that does not have external funding.
- The number of scholarships offered per organized session will depend on funding availability.
