What is CAPE?
CAPE is a service that allows faculty within the Duke Global Health Institute to engage DGHI’s policy experts to maximize the potential policy impact of their research. Similar to DGHI’s Research Design & Analysis Core, CAPE offers policy expertise to inform every aspect of research, including:- Designing research that can influence policy
- Evaluating the policy landscape in your area of research
- Sensitizing policymakers during the research process
- Translating evidence into policy implications
- Identifying the best channels for engaging policymakers about your evidence
- Creating opportunities for dialogue with key decisionmakers
Why does policy engagement matter?
We often see the end point of our research as a journal article, but publication alone rarely moves the policy needle. Policy change requires a planned, proactive process of dialogue and ‘knowledge brokering’ (i.e., making connections between researchers and decision-makers). Working with policy experts can help identify strategies for when and how to effectively engage policymakers and improve the chances that evidence-based findings influence global health practice.Questions to consider
Do you have a policy impact plan in place?
Which are the most effective tools for policy impact?
Have you identified change agents and policy windows?
How we work with you
CAPE was launched as a three-year pilot project on July 1, 2023, with support from the DGHI director, to work with a limited number of faculty within the institute. During this pilot phase there is no direct charge to DGHI faculty to engage with CAPE. Faculty seeking to work with CAPE should contact us ideally before the start of their research so we can discuss needs and a plan for policy engagement throughout the research process. If your research is already underway, or has been published, CAPE can also provide guidance on policy outreach.