Research Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI)

The Research Capacity Building Initiative (RCBI) was established in 2000 to support University Departments of General Practices and Rural Health to provide training and support in primary health care research, particularly among local practitioners. RCBI is a key component of the Government Department of Health and Ageing Primary and Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development Strategy.

In Phase One (2000-2005) of the Strategy, the goals of RCBI were to:

assist universities to gain an enhanced capacity to assist local primary health care providers in developing high quality research, evaluation and quality assurance knowledge and skills in a way that benefits the community in which the University and Department operators and the wider Australian Community; and
improve national research capacity through cooperative work, sharing specialist expertise and supporting policy initiatives.

Phase One achievements provide the infrastructure necessary for Phase Two (2006-2009) under RCBI. Approaches that will continue to form the basis for RCBI programs in Phase 2 include:

Research supervision and mentoring
Research networks
Courses and workshops
Local bursaries and awards
Support for Divisions of General Practice

Under RCBI, the VicPHCRED partnership is committed to providing the following:

Fellowship/Scholarship Program – bursaries to enable primary health care practitioners to undertake research projects for part-time over 9 to 12 months.
Education Program – quality research skills workshops, seminars and courses tailored to the needs of early- to mid-career primary care researchers.
Research Higher Degrees (RHD) – post-graduate program to build career pathways vital to the future leadership of research, evaluation and development in the primary health care sector.

For Education and RHD programs, access individual university departments for details.