Introduction / Rationale: Community-engaged research partners propel the scholarship of discovery. Utilizing an innovative design, partners on the local level were empowered in the co-designing of research studies to enrich outcomes and evidence.
Objectives:
- Participants will understand how supporting students from different countries with varying levels of occupational therapy (OT) education can facilitate research skill
- Participants will consider two strategies to empower community-engaged research partners in their scholarship of discovery projects.
Methods / Approach: A global community of scholars (CoS) was formed, between academicians and occupational therapists (OTs) from the United States and Kenya. A research project developed to assess the fit, function and durability of wheelchairs in low to middle-income countries, with data analysis and dissemination occurring in the United States. It was determined moving the research project to be housed in Kenya, and reimaging the leadership role of the project, would foster research skill development, knowledge co-creation, and dissemination to community-engaged research partners.
Results / Practice Implications: As a result of the CoS collaboration and mentorship, Kenyan students and their OT faculty (a) demonstrated greater capacity (skills, processes, and resources) for the scholarship of discovery; (b) developed independent research studies with instituitional review board approval; (c) continued collaboration with US partners on research design, data analysis, and dissemination to community-engaged research partners.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: The shift in focus of this collaboration has led to a smooth transition, enabling the local Community of Scholars (CoS) to formulate and tackle relevant research questions and design relevant research proposals important to their community.