Table 3. Training topics and allocated time.

Topic	Time Allocation*
1. Foundation of policy-making and evidence uptake	3 hours
2. Strategic communications	7 hours
3. Writing policy briefs	7 hours
4. Visualising research data	3 hours
5. Monitoring and evaluating research communications efforts	1 hour

* Excludes the

    • Time used for introductions on day-1 (to introduce participants, facilitators, training programme, and familiarization with training materials (2 hours), and the time used on day-5 to evaluate the effectiveness of the project (post-test) and outlining the mentorship programme (2 hours 15 minutes).

    • Time/session on day-1 afternoon (3 hours) where participants presented their research to enable facilitators and peers understand their work. This was important as researchers were going to be using their research throughout the training in practical sessions (e.g. preparing effective presentations, writing policy briefs, etc.).

    • Time participants practiced their policy presentations within small groups (i.e. working groups to receive feedback) (3 hours).

    • Time participants used to give their final policy presentations to a “policy audience” (role played by facilitators) on the last day of the workshop (4 hours).

    • Time participants spent preparing or revising their research presentations or writing their policy briefs during the training workshop week (this was often during breaks and evenings).