1st October 2025
Ongoing Capacity Building For Evidence Synthesis Programme (CBESP) 2025
We are excited to announce the commencement of our maiden Capacity Building for Evidence Synthesis Programme (CBESP) aimed at developing and strengthening the knowledge and skills of undergraduate and graduate students to effectively conduct, utilize and disseminate high-quality health-related evidence synthesis to inform policy and practice in Ghana and internationally.
This year’s programme, which begun on July 1, 2025, focuses on 13 undergraduate students and 8 graduates from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Please see details of all participants below.
| ID | SURNAME | FIRST NAME | PROGRAM OF STUDY / STATUS |
| EAM001 | Adjei | Enock Mensah | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM002 | Adzove | Alnice Akos | BSc Disability & Rehabilitation Studies |
| EAM003 | Agyapong | Francis Junior | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM004 | Ampoma-Mensah | Awurama Yenkua | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM005 | Boadu | Matilda Offei | BSc Disability & Rehabilitation studies |
| EAM006 | Dzirasah | Debbie Nuella | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM007 | Karikari | Genevieve Owusuwaa | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM008 | Larbi | Perpetual | BSc Disability & Rehabilitation studies |
| EAM009 | Nyarko | Samuel Kofi Sraku | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM010 | Ocran | Nusrat Kaleem | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM011 | Oduro | Eric | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM012 | Quansah | Estella Adjoa Adeikua | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
| EAM013 | Adikah | Ruby Etornam | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM014 | Asamoah | Precious Serwaa | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM015 | Boateng | Samuel Osei | Intern Optometrist, South Ridge Hospital, Kumasi |
| EAM016 | Gle | Seyram Aku | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM017 | Mensah | Nana Akwasi Owusu | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM018 | Okine | Mary | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM019 | Okine | Mallissa | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM020 | Nyarko | Christiana | Teaching & Research Assistant, Optometry Department |
| EAM021 | Ampong | Josephine | Doctor of Optometry (OD) |
The CBESP consist of the following course packages and training sessions which have been carefully pre-designed:
- An 8-week online open-access training course (using resources from the UNCOVER Applied Evidence Synthesis research group at the University of Edinburgh, UK), embedded with bi-weekly in-person training sessions (Phase 1).
- A 3–4-month trial project in health-related evidence synthesis – hands-on, practical project where participants apply the knowledge and skills gained in the training program (such as developing focused research questions, identifying and assessing evidence, selecting appropriate synthesis methods, and presenting findings) (Phase 2).
Phase 1 of the CBESP 2025
Participants have completed Phase 1 of the CBESP (that is, completion of UNCOVER’s online systematic review course and engagement in the bi-weekly in-person training workshops). They were engaged in three in-person training sessions held on July 12, July 26, and August 9 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana and one webinar training session on September 13. These practice-based workshops were facilitated by Dr Eldad Agyei-Manu (with assistance from Dr Ebo Mensah-Dadzie and Mrs. Rebecca Atta-Osei) and focused on the following topics:
- Formulating systematic review research questions (Workshop 1): During this workshop, participants learnt practical steps on how to develop a focused research question – as a primary step towards conducting a good systematic review or evidence synthesis. They learnt and applied skills in using research question frameworks (such as PICO, SPIDER) through practical exercises.
- Building search strategies and applying screening criteria (Workshop 2): Participants learnt how to develop effective search strategies using electronic databases (such as PubMed, Ovid Medline). They also learnt how to set up and manage the systematic review process using softwares such as Endnote and Covidence. Finally, participants undertook a practical group exercise on how to apply eligibility criteria to a given systematic review scenario.
- Critical appraisal and data extraction for systematic reviews (Workshop 3): During this practice-based workshop, participants learnt how to critically appraise and extract data from studies to be included in a systematic review. Participants were taken through a practical session and subsequently undertook group assignments and discussions using their group’s assigned papers from a given systematic review scenario.
- Data synthesis, reporting & dissemination in systematic reviews (Workshop 4): Participants learnt the various methods of synthesizing evidence from individual studies in a systematic review, with a particular focus on narrative synthesis (and meta-analysis). They also engaged the key guidelines and/or tools for reporting, as well as effective dissemination plans, for a systematic review.
Phase 2 of the CBESP 2025
We have begun Phase 2 of the CBESP 2025. Participants have been divided into 3 groups of seven: 1) Evidence Explorers, 2) Insight Architects, and 3) Knowledge Weavers. Each group is currently working together to develop a focused health-related research question (and topic) for a systematic review; define the objective(s) for their proposed systematic review; and justify their choice of the research question(s) and objective(s), explaining the research’s importance and relevance – ensuring that it is feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, and relevant (FINER criteria). The CBESP Training Team will provide feedback on each group’s proposed topic, research question(s), objective(s) and justification, and guide each group to develop and register a systematic review protocol and undertake the project.
To complement the training of participants in Phase 2 of the CBESP 2025, a series of webinar training sessions have been scheduled between October and December 2025. These webinars will be led by experienced evidence reviewers, focusing on key areas of systematic reviews/evidence synthesis, including:
- Introduction to EPPI-Reviewer and creating evidence gap maps (4th Nov, 13.00 GMT) – To be facilitated by Promise M Nduku (Co-Founder & Director, Evidence Synthesis & Learning Lab, Elevate Evidence Hub, South Africa ‖ Research Associate, The Research and Evaluation Centre, United Kingdom ‖ Senior Research Associate, Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network, Harare, Zimbabwe).
- How to build search strategies in different databases – To be facilitated by Dr Marshall Dozier (College Lead for Library Academic Support [CMVM] and Academic Support Librarian [Medicine], University of Edinburgh ‖ Information Specialist, UNCOVER Applied Evidence Synthesis group, University of Edinburgh).
- Analysing data and undertaking meta-analysis (12th Nov, 13.00 GMT) – To be facilitated by Dr Bohee Lee (Epidemiologist, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK ‖ Associate Editor, BMJ Open Respiratory Research).
- Critical appraisal of a systematic review paper (18th Nov, 15.00 GMT) – To be facilitated by Dr Ruth McQuillan (Reader in Global Public Health, University of Edinburgh ‖ Co-Lead, UNCOVER Applied Evidence Synthesis group, University of Edinburgh).
We look forward to a unique, exciting and fulfilling journey with these students/graduates as they undertake Phase 2 of the CBESP 2025. Glory to God!!
Please see below excerpts from the three practice-based workshops during Phase 1 of the CBESP 2025.
