List of included papers.

There is a growing call for theory-driven evaluation approaches to health research capacity strengthening (HRCS) interventions. Specifically, realist evaluation has gained wide attention given its response to the question: How does an intervention work, why, for whom and under what conditions? In realist evaluation, initial programme theories (IPTs) are first elicited before they are tested and refined. This article describes the IPTs of an HRCS programme aimed at strengthening the research capacity of African universities. Using the ‘Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS Africa) programme as a real-world case, the IPTs were drafted through a review of the programme documents and other published literature. Seven programme documents and 32 published papers covering 26 research capacity strengthening initiatives in African universities were reviewed. Different Context, Mechanism and Outcomes (CMO) were extracted and CMO configurations were formulated. Thereafter, the CMO configurations were refined through four interviews with the DELTAS programme designing team. Three transferrable IPTs were elicited. Evidence suggests that, for HRCS interventions to be more effective in strengthening research capacity in African universities, systemic challenges (e.g., lack of funding for health research, ineffective research policy environment and lack of institutional support for research) need to be addressed and the university staff/ researchers empowered, incentivised and motivated. The article underscores the importance of institutional buy-in, effective implementation of research policies (e.g., protected time, research career pathways, gender equality, research ethics and integrity, anti-bullying and anti-harassment, etc.), long-term research funding and equitable research partnerships in fostering a strong research environment and culture. Notably, the article makes a methodological contribution by demonstrating how IPTs can be developed using disparate evidence sources. The IPTs will be tested and refined through a primary realist evaluation, which will further refine the CMOs presented in this article and provide insights into the current HRCS evaluation framework.

当前，学界日益呼吁采用理论驱动型评估方法开展卫生研究能力建设（Health Research Capacity Strengthening, HRCS）干预研究。其中，现实主义评价（Realist Evaluation）因能精准回应“干预如何发挥作用、因何发挥作用、针对哪些对象、在何种条件下发挥作用”这一核心问题，受到广泛关注。
在现实主义评价框架下，需先提炼初始项目理论（Initial Programme Theories, IPTs），再对其进行检验与优化。本文以聚焦非洲高校研究能力建设的卫生研究能力建设项目为对象，阐述其初始项目理论。以“领导力、培训与科学发展卓越计划（DELTAS Africa）”作为真实世界案例，研究团队通过梳理项目文件与已发表文献，起草了该项目的初始项目理论。本次研究共审阅7份项目文件与32篇已发表论文，涵盖非洲高校的26项研究能力建设举措，提取了多组背景-机制-结果（Context, Mechanism and Outcomes, CMO）要素，并构建了CMO配置框架。随后，研究团队通过与DELTAS Africa项目设计团队开展4次访谈，对CMO配置框架进行了优化，最终提炼出3项可迁移的初始项目理论。
研究证据表明，若要让卫生研究能力建设干预更有效地提升非洲高校的研究能力，需针对性解决系统性挑战（例如卫生研究资金匮乏、研究政策环境低效、高校缺乏对研究工作的支持等），同时赋能、激励并调动高校教职工与研究人员的积极性。本文强调了机构共识与支持、有效落实研究政策（如保障研究专属时间、建立研究职业发展通道、推动性别平等、规范研究伦理与诚信、反欺凌与反骚扰等）、长期研究资金投入以及公平的研究伙伴关系，对营造优良研究环境与学术文化的重要性。值得注意的是，本文在方法论层面作出了重要贡献：展示了如何通过多源分散证据开发初始项目理论。后续将通过原发性现实主义评价对本次提炼的初始项目理论进行检验与优化，进一步完善本文提出的CMO框架，并为当前的卫生研究能力建设评估框架提供新的研究视角。