Background A key objective of the EDCTP SAVING Consortium was to build Institutional and Individual capacity in Implementation Research (IR). The aim was to equip institutions along the Access and Delivery Value Chain to identify and address bottlenecks hindering delivery of new medical interventions including vaccines using IR.

Methods A Capacity Needs Assessment was carried out and results used to plan the capacity building approach. All trainees were enrolled and undertook a specialized Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on IR. The MOOC was adapted to suit availability needs of trainees. Trainees were then taken through three in-person 5-day residential IR workshops. The workshops covered proposal development, preparation of documentation for ethical approval, and Report/manuscript writing. The workshops involved presentations by experienced facilitator/investigators within the consortium with supportive sessions where trainees put into practice what they had learnt. Each workshop was interspersed with a period of six weeks during which the trainees completed the required outputs. A unique feature adapted from an earlier TDR funded study included embedding of Research Scientists in each of the teams to provide on-going support during and in between workshops. Senior Consortium Investigators provided back-up support.

Results The needs assessment showed that 64.1% of 78 respondents considered themselves beginners with regards to experience in IR. By the end of workshop 1, four proposals addressing bottlenecks identified had been successfully drafted by three teams from stakeholder institutions. After workshop 2, three proposals were submitted for ethical review and approvals obtained. All three teams are currently at various stages of data collection and analysis.

Conclusion This hands-on model for Institutional training in IR is effective as it ensures that trainees obtain needed support as their capacity is being built. They “learn by in doing” in real time, while capacity and confidence is built in a sustained manner.