Too often, research partnerships struggle to move beyond knowledge generation to meaningful, lasting change. The recent Making Research Collaborations Matter webinar, supported by RE-FRESH: Next Generation, was a deep dive into the ‘how’ of effective research-implementation partnerships.
Hosted by Dr Miranda Blake (Senior research fellow, Deakin University), the session explored how we build public health research partnerships that lead to real-world change. The event centred around a facilitated panel discussion that followed quick fire introductions from each of the four panellists, who provided context on their own roles navigating research-practice partnerships across local, national and global contexts.
- Dr Neha Lalchandani (Research Fellow, GLOBE, Deakin University) drew on her experience coordinating , a complex partnership working with Victorian local governments to shift food environments.
- Margaret Rozman (former National Nutrition Foundation Co-CEO) contributed a national system-level lens shaped through collaboration with governments, peak bodies and community organisations.
- Adjunct Associate Professor Nadia Mastersson (Head, The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre) reflected on lessons from leading a national collaboration designed to strengthen Australia’s chronic disease prevention system.
- And Dr Erica Reeve (Research Fellow, GLOBE, Deakin University) shared insights from working alongside governments and international bodies to embed research into real-world policy and implementation.
Key themes from the discussion
Panellists highlighted the importance of establishing clear roles, governance structures and expectations early in the process. Without these foundations, collaborations often drift, stall, or become dependent on a single organisation or individual.
Sustainability of partnerships over time was another challenge raised by all four speakers. Short funding cycles, staff turnover, and shifting policy priorities make long-term continuity difficult in public health partnerships. The discussion pointed to backbone roles, relationship stewardship, and dedicated resourcing and infrastructure as key strategies for maintaining momentum beyond individual grants or project timelines.
The panel emphasised that partners that bring different perspectives are critical for success. Successful collaboration relies on keeping those in the partnership focused on a shared purpose. This is often facilitated through mutual respect and building a strong foundation of trust between partners, for example through collaborative leadership and open conversations.
In closing, panellists reinforced that building impactful partnerships doesn’t happen by accident. They take time and must be intentionally designed, maintained and actively resourced.
Looking Ahead
A live poll provided insights from attendees on their experiences with partnerships, with the feedback reinforcing the messages from the panel discussion. The audience identified short-term funding, siloed systems, shifting political priorities and staff turnover as some of the biggest barriers to effective partnerships. The audience felt enablers included backbone coordination, shared agendas, long-term investment and equity-focused governance.
For those who missed the live event, a recording is available below. To stay informed about future sector events and partnership resources, sign up to the RE-FRESH: Next Generation newsletter.
