Joint Research Unit (JRU) System

Building upon the strategic direction and professional principles established by the committee system, IAFPH uses the Joint Research Unit (JRU) as the core operational vehicle for international cooperation and research implementation.

1. Principles for Establishing JRUs

IAFPH applies the principle of “One Country, One JRU” in Africa and other partner regions. Each JRU corresponds to a specific country and is assigned an independent identifier (e.g., IAFPH–JRU–Morocco, IAFPH–JRU–Senegal). This approach respects national differences in ecosystems, medicinal plant resources, health priorities, research capacity, and regulatory contexts, and avoids consolidating multi-country collaborations into a single platform. A JRU serves as a national-level joint research platform co-developed with local universities or research institutions, rather than a single laboratory or short-term arrangement. IAFPH has established several JRUs. Representative member institutions include:

IAFPH–JRU–Senegal
- Partner Institution: École Inter-États des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de Dakar (EISMV);
IAFPH–JRU–Cape Verde
- Partner Institution: University of Cape Verde (Uni-CV)
IAFPH–JRU–Côte d'Ivoire
- Partner Institution: Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB)
IAFPH–JRU–Morocco
- Partner Institution: Cadi Ayyad University (UCA)
IAFPH–JRU–France
- Partner Institution: Institut supérieur d'agriculture et d'agroalimentaire Rhône-Alpes(ISARA)

2. Functional Positioning of JRUs

Each JRU functions as a national coordination and collaboration platform, with core responsibilities including:

Serving as the unified interface between IAFPH and national universities, research institutions, and research teams;
Coordinating joint research activities related to Food–Phytomedicine Homology, health, and ecosystems at the national level;
Flexibly establishing specific research directions or laboratories within the JRU framework based on local resource endowments and academic strengths;
Promoting cross-institutional and interdisciplinary collaboration and avoiding fragmentation of research efforts.

A JRU is not equivalent to a single laboratory, but rather a higher-level platform coordinating multiple research units and thematic directions.

3. Flexibility in Research Directions under JRUs

Specific research themes and laboratory structures under each JRU are not predefined. Instead, they are jointly determined by IAFPH and local partners following thorough consultation and evaluation. Research themes may include, but are not limited to:

Medicinal and food plant resources and functional studies
Integration of traditional medicine with modern health systems
Nutrition, dietary therapy, and public health
Animal health and One Health–related research
Linkages among ecosystems, agricultural systems, and health

This flexible mechanism ensures that research agendas genuinely reflect local strengths and needs while remaining aligned with IAFPH's overarching vision.

4. Coordination between JRUs and the Committee System

Within IAFPH's organizational framework, the committee system and the JRU system have clearly defined and complementary roles:

The committee system focuses on global-level professional direction, principles, and standards;
The JRU system focuses on national-level coordination and research implementation.

Through this coordinated structure, IAFPH maintains consistency in academic and governance principles while enabling the practical realization of the One Planet, One Health vision in diverse national and regional contexts.

5. Long-Term Objectives of the JRU System

Under the JRU framework, IAFPH will progressively support joint research and talent development through the following mechanisms:

Joint Research Projects

Joint research initiatives will be organized through JRUs, encouraging collaborative research among teams from different countries and institutions on topics related to Food–Phytomedicine Homology, health, and ecosystems.

Research and Collaboration Awards

Academic awards will be established within the JRU system to recognize exemplary joint research achievements, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international dissemination, enhancing global visibility.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Scholarships and early-career support mechanisms will be developed to support doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars in joint research and academic exchanges.

Academic Exchange and Capacity Building

JRUs will facilitate academic workshops, training programs, and methodological exchanges to strengthen research design, data analysis, technical application, and international publication capacity.

JRUs will serve as platforms for building long-term institutional partnerships, gradually forming stable international research networks.