MORU’s mission is to improve health and wellbeing in low-resource settings, with community engagement at its core. The MORU Bioethics and Engagement team facilitates a dynamic community and public engagement programme, ensuring that research remains responsive to local needs and cultural contexts. At the heart of this programme is a growing network of seven advisory boards, many of which include members from underserved communities. Researchers regularly meet with these boards to seek guidance on research and health initiatives. The MORU team also presented their long-term engagement strategy for 2025-2032, which includes capacity-building activities, involving communities in research and co-creating communication materials with them, and evaluating the impact of MORU engagement activities.
These efforts align with the PCER team’s strategic objectives to integrate engagement into research and work closely with communities affected by research, ensuring their voices shape the process.
"It was great to meet the PCER team in person and learn more about the new University strategy. We all share a passion for involving communities in research, supporting and stewarding engagement activities - I was particularly fond of this phrase - and evaluation frameworks. It was no surprise that time flew by, and we are looking forward to continuing our discussions and share our learning" said Dr Anne Osterrieder, Engagement Evaluation and Learning Lead, Bioethics and Engagement, MORU
To learn more about MORU’s work, watch their latest Community Advisory Board video, explore their website, or view their brochure Working with communities, advisory groups, policy makers and partners.