Box 2:

Lessons for successful networking from three African networks in which the School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa was instrumental

Strong support from senior leadership of institutions during start-up Strong, transparent and effective leadership for networks/collaborations Strong anchoring institutions which had the financial and human resources to sustain the network/collaboration, especially at start-up Shared goals and mutual benefits Equal partnerships Clear expectation of active participation Dedicated resources for collaboration in terms of funding and a secretariat Started small and grew subsequently Regular face-to-face meetings Recognised and addressed challenges Refusal to compromise on agreed principles and ethical guidelines (especially in relation to hidden agendas of partners or funders) Supportive administrative systems

Source: Summarised by [2]