Implementation Science and transformative learning

Making use of research evidence and best practices is not a process that happens by itself. To know what to do and when to do it is not the same as to act accordingly, whether it be within health care to save people's lives or in society to meet the challenges of a sustainable future. The translation of knowledge into practice needs to be facilitated, and implementation science within global health aims to develop, evaluate and promote effective implementation strategies for this purpose.

The major challenges that are defined and highlighted in Agenda 2030 will not be solved without far-reaching changes in society that are transforming the structures and ideas we have become accustomed to. The transition to sustainability, in all three dimensions of the concept, requires changing mindsets, perspectives and actions. Here, education has its given place and necessity. Education and learning are seen by the world community as the key to a sustainable world. Education is a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for change. Education can be an effective way to combat poverty in the world, strengthen equality, improve our health, broaden our views and, not least, equip us for contemporary challenges and changes. Through education that is rooted in the understanding of what sustainability means, transformative learning can take place. In global health, this transformative learning is expressed in terms of implementing evidence, 'resilience' and 'empowerment', both in counteracting transnational health threats and in the quest for equality in health.