Background:

Member States require tools to build effective partnerships and networks among stakeholders to achieve meaningful progress in NCD prevention and management. This workshop will provide guidance to national and local authorities, as well as stakeholders involved in programs and networks dedicated to the prevention and management of NCDs and NCD behavioral risk factors: unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. It offers details on conducting Stakeholder Network Analysis to inform their work and programmes. The workshop explains how these programs can effectively shape, activate, and sustain stakeholder networks to support a comprehensive approach and address the economic, commercial, environmental, and social determinants of NCDs. Stakeholder networks hold the potential to promote healthier environments in both physical and digital spaces, improve access to and availability of healthy and sustainable diets and opportunities for physical activity, enhance transparency and mitigate conflicts of interest, especially within industries like food, tobacco, and alcohol, which often clash with NCD prevention goals, and identify and harness win-win opportunities for cross and multisectoral action. 

This workshop has been developed by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast as part of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Complex Systems and Network Science for Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control.

The workshop is designed for:

• PhD students
• Researchers
• Public Health Professionals

 Objectives of the workshops:

1. To introduce the concept of Stakeholder Network Analysis.
2. To understand how to design and conduct a Stakeholder Network Analysis to map, analyse and report on stakeholder networks of interest.
3. To highlight tools, software and core texts in Stakeholder Network Analysis.

 The workshop will be divided into two different sessions: 

 Session 1

 What will we do?  

• WHO opening remarks
• Introduction to the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Complex Systems
• Introduction to Stakeholder Network Analysis
• org tutorial (online tool for undertaking Stakeholder Network Analysis)

 When

• Tuesday 21 May @ 10.30 to 12.30 UTC+0. / 11:30-1:30 CET

 Where

• Online via Zoom

 Session 2 – tutorial

 What will we do?  

• Steps involved in conducting a Stakeholder Network Analysis
• Survey development
• Analysing and visualising the data
• Interpreting the data

 This will be a hands-on session using the Stakeholder.Net tool.  

When

• Tuesday 28 May @ 30 to 12.30 UTC+0. / 11:30-1:30 CET

 Where

• Online via Zoom

 You have the option to register to attend only Session 1 OR both Sessions 1 & 2. Please note that spaces in session 2 will be limited to 50 people, to allow for interaction between facilitators and participants.

 Registration for both workshops will close:  Friday 17 May 2024 @ 23:59hrs (GMT)

Register for session 1

Register for session 2 (to take part in Session 2 it is a pre-requisite that you attended Session 1)

 
Facilitators 

Dr Neil Anderson is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Queen's University Belfast. Neil has developed digital tools for Public Health, including the mapping and analysis of stakeholder networks. He has extensive experience teaching a wide range of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Currently, he is the director of the MSc in Software Development program, where he teaches courses in database design.

Dr Niamh O’Kane is a Research Fellow and Science Communication and Research Impact Officer at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast. Her PhD explored the use of social media in public health communication and behaviour change, and she has worked on several projects applying systems thinking to the school food context, including the mapping and analysis of stakeholder networks. Her current work is on health and the environment.

Professor Ruth Hunter is a Professor of Public Health and Planetary Health at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Complex Systems and Network Science for Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control. She co-leads the Centre for Public Health's Complexity, Public Health & Planetary Health Cluster. Ruth's work primarily involves investigating how to improve the urban environment for better population health, including evaluation of natural experiments such as large-scale urban regeneration programmes and the application of systems thinking and complexity science methods.

WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Complex Systems and Network Science for Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control: Ruth Hunter is director of the WHO Collaborating Centre working primarily with the Regional Office for Europe NCD Office. A main purpose of the WHO CC is to build capacity in systems thinking and complex systems science methodology and application.

Stakeholdernet tool: has been developed by Queen’s University Belfast WHO Collaborating Centre for research and training on complex systems and network science for NCD prevention and control as part of a collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Office for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases. It is web-based tool created to facilitate the design, data collection, and data analysis of stakeholder network surveys.

NB:

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email and link to the workshop/s by return.  Should you not receive this email within 24hrs of registering, contact: space@qub.ac.uk.  Please check junk mail folders first, clear cookies, and ask your organisation to accept emails from Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)