For example, academics can provide technical assistance in designing and implementing programs, collecting and analyzing data, and evaluating impact. Partnering with academia may lend more scientific rigor to a project or the findings, which may be useful when presenting the project to funders or politicians. Individual practitioners can benefit from the exchange of information and ideas with both faculty and students. The agency can benefit from the presence of faculty and students in the same manner and may also receive informal or formal educational opportunities. Publishing and disseminating the results of projects can also lead to broader recognition for the practice agency.
Academia has many resources that can enhance the practice of public health.
Students are capable of carrying out many needed tasks and providing consultation and technical assistance to practitioners as a part of their education. As a result of familiarity with the literature and professional relationships with individuals around the country and world, academics often are aware of larger trends and new approaches to issues. When it comes to actual funding, some grants are clearly directed to academic institutions, especially schools of medicine, nursing, or public health. These trends point to the increasingly clear benefits to partners, to the community and to the overall advancement of public health that results when academic and practice partnerships occur. Marie Flake is Director of the Health Program Alliance of Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.