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In 2024, IAPB began exploring if and how it might support IAPB members in developing capability in critical skill areas – particularly systems leadership. We spoke to many of our members to benefit from their advice and feedback, worked collaboratively with members to develop new initiatives, and trialled a range of potential projects. We have taken what we have learned from these conversations and initiatives and developed this into a programme of work for the coming three years which we hope will bring significant value to our membership.
In 2024 IAPB launched the Young Systems Leader awards. The awards celebrate early-career eye health professionals who are passionate about driving systems change within their work, shaping the future of global eye health. Award winners received a host of professional benefits designed to strengthen their influence within the eye health sector including a featured role at 2030 INSIGHT LIVE in Mexico, in-person networking opportunities with senior leaders, and an online development programme covering topics such as systems leadership, networking, and public speaking.
9 awards were made in 2024, recognising a talented group of young leaders from across the world. The award winners remain connected to each other, and to IAPB, and are keen to further develop their role as leaders in global eye health. Their positive experience of the award, and feedback from members, means IAPB is hosting the award again in 2025, seeking to recognise and support another group of emerging leaders.
We are pleased to have published Leadership for 2030 In Sight, a short report that sets out the leadership challenge for the eye health sector, as articulated by our members, and proposals for how IAPB and the sector can respond. The report proposes a definition for the leadership skills needed to drive progress towards 2030 In Sight and will provide a framework for IAPB’s capability building offers over the coming years.
IAPB worked closely with The Ophthalmology Foundation to deliver a workshop on systems leadership for a group of leading ophthalmologists from sub-Saharan Africa. Involving practical discussions on applying systems approaches to their daily work, the workshop offered a space to learn from each other’s experiences. IAPB and The Ophthalmology Foundation are exploring how to continue working with these and additional participants to develop a leadership network and leadership development opportunities in the region over the coming years.
As part of our commitment to identifying accessible and relevant development opportunities in systems leadership, IAPB hosted a group of eye health professionals to pilot a cohort model of learning with systems leadership experts Wasafiri. Wasafiri’s Systemcraft model, is a hybrid course, mixing self-directed learning with online group sessions. The group included colleagues from 8 organisations, across 8 countries, who worked together to apply systems leadership principles to complex challenges they were facing in their work. IAPB is currently reviewing feedback from participants to determine the format to run this cohort course more regularly in the future.
IAPB is planning to host a short, interactive webinar series, covering the key skills areas outlined in the Leadership for 2030 In Sight report. Designed to provide an introduction to 2030 In Sight, global eye health, and systems leadership, the webinar series will feature practical examples and activities to enable participants to relate the content to their every day work.
