Integrating Young Midwife Leaders into the QMNC Research Alliance
Why Young Midwife Leaders Alumni Should be a part of the QMNC Research Alliance
By Philip Chirwa
Introduction
Young Midwife Leaders Alumni (YMLA) are already shaping maternal and newborn health through leadership, advocacy, and practice. Many also carry powerful research questions that are rooted in real-world experience, but some lack the structures or collaborative pathways to transform those questions into evidence, publications, and policy influence.
The Quality Maternal and Newborn Care (QMNC) Research Alliance exists to change that.
The Alliance is a global, birth researcher- and midwife-led community designed to support the movement of initiatives into action by linking practice-based insights with research expertise and collaboration. For YMLA interested in research, QMNC creates meaningful opportunities to engage with experienced researchers and global collaborators. This collaboration is intentionally reciprocal: YMLA members gain pathways into research and influence, and QMNC is strengthened by perspectives from emerging midwife leaders. This article outlines the benefits of joining the YMLA Researchers group and the shared value of collaboration for both groups.
Purpose of the QMNC–YMLA Collaboration
The primary purpose of this collaboration is to strengthen research capacity among Young Midwife Leaders Alumni while fostering a diverse, practice-informed research community focused on improving quality maternal and newborn care. Specifically, the alliance aims to:
- Support YMLA members who are already engaged in research
- Nurture those who are interested but lack experience or support
- Promote evidence-informed midwifery practice
- Amplify midwives’ voices in maternal and newborn health research, policy, and practice
- Facilitate collaboration between YMLA members and other QMNC researchers
What QMNC Brings to Young Midwife Leaders Alumni
1. Research Capacity Building
QMNC provides exposure to the research process from idea generation to dissemination. YMLA members benefit from:
- Exposure to the process of identifying research questions and developing research questions grounded in real-world midwifery practice
- Support in research design, ethics, data collection, and analysis
- Skills in literature review, academic writing, abstract development, and manuscript preparation.
2. Professional Development
Through the alliance, YMLA members can connect with researchers, academics, and global health professionals through peer exchange and learning opportunities, including:
- Peer support and discussion with others navigating research pathways,
- webinars and special interest groups on QMNC research priorities and topics of interest,
- increased awareness of postgraduate study options, funding calls, grants, and fellowships.
3. Access to Collaborative Research Opportunities
QMNC is not a passive network. Members are invited to:
- Join in multi-country or multi-site research projects
- Contribute to ongoing studies on quality maternal and newborn care
- Co-author publications, policy briefs, and conference presentations
4. Visibility, Voice, and Global Connection
Active members benefit from:
- Belonging to an international research network
- Opportunities to share work on the platform
- Heightened awareness of their work at webinars, conferences, and forums
- Increased recognition of midwives as researchers and knowledge producers
What QMNC Gains from Working with YMLA
This collaboration is intentionally reciprocal and grounded in shared learning. Through engagement with Young Midwife Leaders Alumni, QMNC:
- Deepens understanding of midwifery experiences and practices across diverse contexts
- Strengthens research relevance by remaining informed by varied health systems and practice realities
- Contributes to the development of midwife researchers by creating accessible entry points into research communities
- Extends global connection and exchange through collaboration with emerging midwife leaders.
Shared Vision and Long-Term Goal
The long-term goal of the QMNC–YMLA Research Alliance is to build a sustainable, inclusive research community led by midwife leaders, capable of generating high-quality evidence that improves maternal and newborn outcomes globally.
Why YMLA Members Should Join
Joining the YMLA Research Group on the QMNC Research Alliance platform is an opportunity for Young Midwife Leaders Alumni to grow as researchers, leaders, and advocates for quality maternal and newborn care. Whether you are an experienced researcher or just beginning your research journey, the alliance offers, collaboration, and a supportive environment to turn ideas into impact.
By working together, QMNC and YMLA can ensure that midwives are not only implementers of care but also generators of evidence and drivers of change.