Attending conferences is always a thrilling and overstimulating experience, but the Global Evidence Summit surpassed my expectations. Over four days, I was immersed in thought-provoking discussions and exposed to cutting-edge innovations. I had the opportunity to engage with some of the most interesting minds in various sectors across the EIDM landscape. As I reflect on the event, I am left with several reflections to share on the value that a single week has added to my hunger to grow and redefine my contribution to the field.
Here are some of my takeaways and reflections from this superb week.
Arrival: I should start this by saying I could never drive in Prague! Besides the left-side drive on the vehicles, the surroundings are scenic, and they have unique authenticity.
After a long journey from South Africa, we arrived hungry and exhausted to be welcomed by an inclement day. Our trip concluded in the charming city of Prague on Monday morning after about 1,562 hours of flying (true story). It was cold and rainy, but the excitement and chatter amongst my colleagues, Andile Madonsela, Hector Moloko and Zafeer Ravat, sparked a detour for lunch and an immediate trip to prepare our stand at the O2 Universum, which would be our venue for the rest of the week. After debating the perfect positions for banners, bowls, and flyers, we were ready for Day 1!
In my unbiased view, PACE had the best stand at the conference. I will tell you why in a second…
Day 1: Foot traffic, stop signs and a slippery slope
The atmosphere was palpable as attendees from around the globe descended on the O2 Universum for the first day of the conference. As expected, the PACE stand was a hit at the GES 2024 as colleagues worldwide came to ask about our work and how we can build collaborative platforms with them from India, Canada, Kenya, and other countries. We had colleagues from all ends of the world stopping to discuss opportunities for collaboration and synergies across our different pockets of work. Some of the colleagues I recall stopping for a chat with us were from Cochrane, Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI), Skyward Analytics, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, ebpracticenet, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, iHealthFacts, Monash University, Universidad del Rosario, and many others.
Key Takeaway: The importance of embracing change and learning
I’m going to stretch this and highlight two takeaways.
- The opening plenary emphasised how technological change and other disruptive global events have shifted how we think about and use science. The key message? Disruption is inevitable – but those who are agile, innovative, resilient, and forward-thinking can bridge the gap between research and decision-making. It was a powerful reminder to constantly be wary of change and work together to narrow the impact of misinformation and other impediments to transparency and developmental change.
- Promise Nduku led a session on capacity sharing for evidence use. While I could not join this session, I heard great stories from the attendees. So, PACE was off to a great start.
Side note: The organisers ensured we had a handy app for the event!
Day 2: Fast lanes on the right side of the road
By the second day, I enjoyed deep and meaningful conversations with fellow attendees at the PACE stand. During the networking sessions, I found myself connecting with individuals who brought fresh perspectives and shared similar goals in their organisations and for their careers, albeit mainly in the health and healthcare spaces. Honestly, I didn’t expect as many clinicians as I met. The discussions felt intimate and reciprocal.
Key Takeaway: The value of conversations
I found myself speaking to an attendee who had been working on a project remarkably similar to mine but in a different context. Our conversation quickly became a collaborative brainstorming session with plans to link up virtually soon. We shared our challenges, ideas, and solutions, sparking new thoughts I hadn’t considered before. This reminded me of the importance of networking, not just for building contacts but for fostering solutions for our work.
Day 3: We were moving at 180 km/h
By Day 3, I was overheating from the wealth of information and ideas shared throughout the conference. I found them both exciting and overwhelming in the best way possible. Our colleagues Promise Nduku and Andile Madonsela represented PACE well in their respective sessions on collaboration and inclusion, and they had attendees talk for the rest of the day. Andile
Key Takeaway: Diversity and inclusion must be prioritised
Andile emphasised the importance of intentionally engaging in inclusive language and the representation of marginalised groups. This was a wake-up call for many to take actionable steps in their spaces to ensure that inclusion is prioritised. Or else our collaborations and engagements become moot.
Day 4: Final stretch
On the conference's final day, PACE had to navigate a jampacked and truncated day as some of us had to rush to the airport for a late afternoon flight back home. I had to deliver a short oral presentation on our Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub, while my other colleagues had similar responsibilities.
Key Takeaway: PACE is a mean machine
Across 12 total contributions in the week, we ran an impressive stand with many new connections made and gave influential inputs on EIDM in our context. If you ask me, this was a mammoth effort that only PACE could pull off.
Final Thoughts: Reaching the destination
Reflecting on my experience at the Global Evidence Summit, I can confidently say it was one of my most rewarding professional experiences. From the engaging sessions to the meaningful connections, there was nothing I would have wanted to change. Besides the 1,562-hour flight time!
However, I did leave Prague with a renewed sense of purpose for my professional and personal goals. If you can attend the Global Evidence Summit or a similar event, GO! While I went in completely blind, I came out with a clear vision of the importance of these opportunities, both professionally and personally. Engagement is the glue that binds us to coexist in a dynamic world. Whether you are a budding policymaker in Kenya, a researcher from Canada or even part of a brilliant PACE team in South Africa, the Global Evidence Summit is for you.
About the author: Nkululeko Tshabalala is a Programme Manager at the Pan-African Collective for Evidence (PACE).
Acknowledgements: The author(s) is solely responsible for the content of this article, including all errors or omissions; acknowledgements do not imply endorsement of the content. The author is grateful to Charity Chisoro for her guidance in preparing and finalising this article, as well as her editorial support.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in published blog posts, as well as any errors or omissions, are the sole responsibility of the author/s and do not represent the views of the Africa Evidence Network, its secretariat, advisory or reference groups, or its funders; nor does it imply endorsement by the afore-mentioned parties.
Suggested citation: Tshabalala N (2024) Reflecting on the Global Evidence Summit 2024: A Week of Engaging and Learning. Blog posting on 20 September 2024. Available at: https://www.africaevidencenetwork.org/en/learning-space/article/368/
