Cooperation in Research and Higher Education with Myanmar

The aim is to establish a cooperation in research and higher education between the University of Oslo and institutions in Myanmar.

Outcome

The LEVE Seed Fund  in 2010 started a cascade of activities from 2010-2012, with the following outcomes:

2010

Meetings with Universities and NGOs in Myanmar: for the purpose of planning cooperation in research and higher education between UiO and Myanmar institutions, and to develop The Lancet Project.

2011

Meetings with Universities, NGOs, Minister of Health, Presidential advisors in Myanmar, Norwegian Ambassador (in Bangkok): for the purpose of planning cooperation in research and higher education between UiO and Myanmar institutions, and to  further develop The Lancet Project

Received one Myanmar staff at the UiO Summer School (ISS Scholarship).

2012

The renowned medical journal The Lancet invited UiO for a Lancet Series on Health in Myanmar, including 2-5 scientific articles and some short articles and commentaries on: History and development; Trends in Maternal and child health, Non-communicable diseases,Infectious diseases; Health systems; Reforms, current and future prospects; and other topics to be discussed.

The Lancet has asked Prof. Espen Bjertness to lead and coordinate this two-year project (starting November 2012), as a part of the ongoing collaboration between University of Oslo and Myanmar institutions.

Authors could be Myanmar staff from the Ministry of Health, Universities, Hospitals and NGOs, and foreign experts, primarily from Norway, Thailand and US.

University of Oslo has long standing collaboration with University of Mahidol and Prince of Songkla University as well as with Johns Hopkins and Harvard, which all are interested in collaboration on the Lancet Series.

Meetings with Universities, NGOs, Minister of Health, Minister of Education, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Technology and Presidential advisors in Myanmar

Received two Myanmar staff at the UiO Summer School (ISS Scholarships)

Received one Myanmar staff for the two-year master programme in International Community Health (quota funding)

Activities

Espen Bjertness: Travel to Myanmar February 2010: to follow-up the first visit to Myanmar in 2009, to establish contacts with institutions in Myanmar and introduce the Project idea. Per 2012 we have ‘Letter of Intent’ with: University of Public Health, University of Medicine 1, Mingalar Myanmar and MBE

Visit from Myanmar November 2010: Rector, Dr. Tin Min, and researcher Aye Kyi Kyi, University of Public Health, Yangon: to present UiO and collaborating institutions: The Knowledge Center, Cancer Registry of Norway, National Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Occupational Health; meeting with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and to further develop cooperation in research and higher education between UiO and Myanmar institutions.

Future activities

We aim at applying the NORHED programme for further support to activities in research and higher education between UiO-Thailand and Myanmar.

Regarding The Lancet project, we will apply for funding from all possible sources to end the project successfully.

Participants

• University of Oslo
  • Espen Bjertness (project leader)
  • Johanne Sundby
  • Gunnar Bjune
  • Lars Lien
  • Edvard Hauff
  • Lhamo Y. Sherpa
  • Unni Gopinathan
  • Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
  • Ole Petter Otterse
  • Reidun Torp
  • others
• The Lancet
  • Editor Selina Lo
• Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
  • Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong
  • Tippawan Liabsuetrakul
• Mahidol University, Thailand
• Peking Union Medical College, China
  • G. Yang
  • Wan Xia
• Harvard Medical School
  • Jennifer Leaning;
• Johns Hopkins University
  • Chris Beyrer
• University of Public Health, University of Medicine 1, Mingalar Myanmar and MBE, Myanmar
• Other institutions

Remark

The listed researchers are potential co-authors for the Lancet Series. We have several potential co-authors from Myanmar, but will not yet list names. We have ‘Letter of intent’ with the institutions except Harvard and Johns Hopkins.