Characteristics of the 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.学界对健康研究能力建设（Health Research Capacity Strengthening, HRCS）干预项目采用理论驱动型评估方法的呼声日益高涨。具体而言，现实主义评估因其回应了“干预措施如何发挥作用、为何发挥作用、针对哪些人群以及在何种条件下发挥作用”这一核心问题，而受到广泛关注。在现实主义评估中，需先提炼初始项目理论（Initial Programme Theories, IPTs），再对其进行检验与完善。本文阐述了一项旨在提升非洲高校研究能力的HRCS项目的初始项目理论。本研究以“领导力、培训与科学卓越发展（Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science, DELTAS Africa）”项目为现实案例，通过梳理项目文档与已发表文献，草拟出该项目的初始项目理论。本次研究共梳理了7份项目文档与32篇已发表论文，涵盖非洲高校的26项研究能力建设举措。研究人员提取了多组语境-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项目设计团队开展4次访谈，对CMO配置框架进行了完善。最终提炼出3项可推广的初始项目理论。研究证据表明，若要让HRCS干预项目更有效地提升非洲高校的研究能力，需解决系统性挑战（例如健康研究资金匮乏、研究政策环境低效、高校缺乏研究支持等），同时赋能高校教职工与研究人员，并为其提供激励与动力。本文强调了高校共识、研究政策有效落实（例如保障研究时间、设立研究职业发展通道、推动性别平等、恪守研究伦理与诚信、反对欺凌与骚扰等）、长期研究资助以及公平研究合作，对于构建良好研究环境与文化的重要意义。值得一提的是，本文在方法论层面做出了贡献：展示了如何通过分散的证据来源构建初始项目理论。后续将通过首轮现实主义评估对本研究提炼的初始项目理论进行检验与完善，进一步优化本文提出的CMO配置框架，并为现有HRCS评估框架提供新的见解。