1. Building Research Methods Capacity in WHO EMRO Countries: Improving research productivity  
Development of Science Supercourse Network
Since 2008 Supercourse team from the University of Pittsburgh has been collaborating with the Library of Alexandria on the establishment of the Science Supercourse  This project has been very successful in collecting over 163,000 lectures reaching a large number of countries around the world and creating a network of over 50,000 individuals. Despite popularity of the Supercourse around the world, some regions are still not very active in the development of virtual professional networks and the exchange of training materials. 

2. WHO EMRO Countries
We plan to improve the number of publications from WHO EMRO as well as their impact.

3. Iran 298 21 Pakistan 126 42 Egypt 98 47 Saudi Arabia 83 49 Tunisia 36
Country
Publications
Rank
Iran
298 21
Pakistan
126 42
Egypt 98 47
Saudi Arabia 83 49
Tunisia 36 68
Jordan 28 64
Lebanon 26 77
Iraq 22 82
Qatar 19
Kuwait 16
Palestine 14
102
Yemen 12
105
Bahrain 7
118
Oman 3
153
Syria 2
164
Libya 1
174
The median l publication rate in 2011 of public health articles was 22. There was considerable variability in publication rates, from 1 article to 298 in EMRO countries. There are several high producing countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Egypt. However the lowest producing countries of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Oman, Syria and Libya

4. Overtime all but the lowest producing countries showed about a 30% rise during 12 years. One country, Iran, demonstrated a burst of activity from where the numbers of publications showed a 7 fold increase from 50 to 300 articles published. This was not seen in any other countries. It does point out that a rapid rise in publications is possible in a short period of time.

5. 84 8 Impact factor for PH journals Impact Factor for PH journals
The WHO EMRO flagship journal is excellent. However its impact factor is only 84 in the world for Public health Journals, in contrast to the 8th ranking for the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. It does hold considerable opportunities for improvement as over a 12 year period to 2011 the citation rate for EMHJ has doubled. We will help promote the journal not only in EMRO but world wide
Impact factor for PH journals 84
Impact Factor for PH journals 8

6. What is the Supercourse?
SUPERCOURSE-global library of 5500 PowerPoint lectures on prevention and public health, shared for free by over 50,000 faculty members in 174 countries.
The parent Supercourse project is a library of over 5500 online lectures shared for free by over 50,000 faculty members in 174 countries around the world We teach about 6 million people a year, and our H1N1 lecture taught 50 million. We have increased teaching about global health and research methods by over 10 fold in the past 5 years. There are over 30 lectures in Arab, which we plan to expand, and 200 from EMRO countries.

7. Supercourse Model: lecture sharing
Teacher in Alexandria
Teacher in Egypt
Teacher in Tunisia
Teacher in Pittsburgh
Information Sharing & Open Source Model: A Global academic faculty is developing and sharing their best lectures in the area of public health and the Internet. New instructors reduce preparation time and improve their lectures, as they can employ state of the art lectures from others. Faculties in developing countries have access to current scientific information which they would not normally have. The concept of a library of lectures for all to use is in many ways similar to that of "freeware" or "open source software" on the computer.
Teacher in Havana
Teacher in San Francisco

8. Large Multidisciplinary Network
Supercourse Model
Large Multidisciplinary Network
Open Source
PowerPoint Lecture Library
Continuous
Quality
Improvement
The supercourse model is simple. We first built a broad, global international network on the web. From the network we extracted the best of the best PowerPowerpoint lectures and put them onto the web. We then build a distribution network to share the lectures. On top of this model we overlay state of the art quality control system.
Distribution System to Educators
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9. The supercourse is very cost effective
The supercourse is very cost effective. The teaching of one student from our lectures costs .06 cents each. With one penny we can teach all the students seen in this picture.
If you would like a free copy of the supercourse to put on your server write to
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10. Ismail Serageldin, Director,
Advisory Board
Gil Omenn,
Former
President, AAAS
Ismail Serageldin, Director,
Library of Alexandria
Francois Sauer,
CEO, Trans Am Group
Vint Cerf, Father of
Internet
Ron LaPorte, Professor, Supercourse Founder

11. Building Research Capacity in Developing Countries
This is a project of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt, and the WHO Collaborating Centre in Pittsburgh
Building Research Capacity in Developing Countries
Library of Alexandria SuperHelp Desk

12. About 25% of the scientists in the world are from developing countries
About 25% of the scientists in the world are from developing countries. However, they publish only 2-3 percent of the world’s articles. This analysis from the BMJ demonstrates why, as only 6% of the submitted articles to the BMJ are from developing countries, this is a rate ¼ that of developing countries. Also the articles from developing countries are ½ as likely to be published. There is thus a major problem in submission as well as acceptance
Scientific Colonialism and Safari Science

13. Why are articles turned down?
Over 80% of articles rejected by journals are turned down as the result of poor research methods. We have coined the term “Stataphobia” to indicate the fear of statistics that researchers have, as the research methods almost always determine if an article will be rejected. We can attack Stataphobia by building capacity as in the EMRO region there are over 800 clinicians for every person trained in statistics.
Stataphobia

14. Doubling Articles from Developing countries in Lancet
Old Model
2000 articles from developing countries submitted
Review
15 published
We discussing collaboration with the head editors of the Lancet, BMJ and Nature. We can easily double the number of top quality articles from developing countries in the Lancet and others. If during the review process the reviewers identify 100 articles from developing countries that have “lancet worthy” hypotheses but poor methods. These 100 articles will be triaged by the BA SuperHelp desk, to find the articles where the methods can be readily fixed. We will then work with the authors to make their methods state of the art. To assure quality control, the authors will resubmit this to the review. We believe that at least 15 of the 100 articles will be published, thus doubling the number of articles from developing countries, and maintaining high quality. This is the model we propose for EMHJ to improve the numbers of articles submitted, their quality and impact factor.
New Model
2000 articles from developing countries submitted
Review
15 published, 100 identified as great questions, poor methods
100 triaged by help desk and methods polished
Reviewed as a new paper
Potentially another 15 published

15. It is exciting to see that publication rates are markedly improving in the middle east, we can make them improve even faster

16. For every Biostatician
There are just not enough people trained in biostatistics and research methods in arab countries with about 600 clinicians for every expert in statistics.
For every Biostatician
there are 800 Clinicians

17. Problem: Very little statistical capacity in developing countries
Result 1: Poor research design and analysis
Result 2: Limited scientific publication
Solution A: Train people in the US
Difficulty: 100,000 to train Ph.D. > 50% stay in US
Result: Impossible to build research capacity for budding scientists in Developing countries

18. Solution 2: Library of Alexandria help research design Help Desk

19. Help Desk
A Service the provides information and assistance concerning research methods
Academic Statistical Help Desk: Typically local, helping students in the University
Industrial strength Help Desk/Customer Service
All major industries, 1000s of queries per hour, global

20. Brilliant scientific Idea from EMRO investigator
How do I test it?
WHO EMRO BA Supercourse
Help Desk for
Research methods

21. Help Desk Model
Client has a research methods question BEFORE beginning work
Russian Moderator reviews each question and refers people to the Help
Desk door which has background methods material
Those questions needing more in-depth help sent to Senior Distinguished professors
Help Desk aids in form design and research design
When Data are collected aids in guiding the analysis

22. At the Library of Alexandria we have all ready developed the beginnings of the help desk, and in a few weeks we will pilot test this.

23. Egypt India Iran Kazakhstan Kenya Lebanon Nepal Nigeria Pakistan Sudan
Countries interested in establishing a National Help Desk
Egypt
India
Iran
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Lebanon
Nepal
Nigeria
Pakistan
Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
In addition to the Library of Alexandria, we plan to build country specific help desks. Already Iran and Pakistan have established theirs.

24. Iranian Help Desk In Persian In English
We have a Farsi version of the Supercourse up and running. The main help door of the Supercourse has been translated into main languages of WHO EMRO, Arabic, English, French and Farsi. In addition it has been translated into Spanish and Urdu. After the Pilot phase we plan to also answer questions for WHO EMRO in Arabic, English, French and Farsi as it is easier to learn in one’s native language.

25. Cost Effective Solution
Research in developing countries has tended to languish because of lack of support. However, a Research help desk potentially will be very cost effective.
Research methods help Desk

26. Future directions mHelp Desk? Help Apps!!

27. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Nelson Mandela
Improving access to research methods is a cost effective means to improve science in EMRO countries
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