Dr Siham Sikander PhD

I am the teaching/training lead for the capacity building component of above mentioned ENHANCE Programme funded by the NIHR, UK.
Under this role, I am responsible to ensure capacity to undertake implementation research for mental health is developed/strengthened in four south Asian countries (namely Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal). Currently 11 Fellows [05 PhD Fellows and 06 Research Fellows] across Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Nepal are involved in the capacity building component on ENHANCE.
All 05 PhDs (that are off-site PhDs) are registered at the University of Liverpool, UK within the Institute of Population Health. I am the primary supervisor for one, while co-supervise rest of the 04 PhDs with Prof Rahman and respective site supervisors.
I am responsible for developing and teaching an applied Global Mental Health research course through yearly modules delivered in a workshop format (with linked assignments and outputs for the fellows to hand in a get feedback on). This content is delivered virtually via zoom. These workshops aim at building understanding of and research skills within all the fellows. Two workshops have been delivered since June 2020.
Through monthly PhD supervisions, I facilitate/mentor PhD fellows to develop ideas/research projects around aspects of improving perinatal mental health within the south Asian context. This is a Collaborative Learning Model in which I hold a joint regional monthly seminar which is attended by all the fellows, supervisors from UoL and individual partner countries to facilitate cross learning between fellows from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Lastly, I represent this Collaborative Learning Model at the NIHR, Global Health Research Academy to contribute learning from ENHANCE and uptake of good practices for other training/teaching programmes supported by NIHR.

Apart from this, I collaborate with DClin Programme to conduct sessions and contribute to their learning activities.

As part of my Pakistan based affiliations at the Health Services Academy (where I hold the position of an Adjunct Faculty);
I am currently supervising two full time PhDs in public health. I will also co-supervise a new doctoral student at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan.