草莓社区

I am an Emeritus Professor at 草莓社区 and the former Director of the Institute of Global Health and Development and a full member of the Institute for Global Health and Development Research Centre, having joined 草莓社区 as Director of the Institute of International Health and Development in July 2015.

I have worked in the field of global health and development for over twenty-five years, after originally training in psychology at the universities of Keele, Wales and Birmingham in the UK. I was formerly Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Malawi, Director of the Centre for International Health Studies at Queen Margaret, and Senior Research Manager for the UK Department for International Development, with responsibility for the agency's global portfolio of health and education research. I have international experience as a lecturer, researcher and consultant across sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, Europe and North America, working with a range of intergovernmental, non-governmental and governmental agencies.

I am active in five major areas of research: the evaluation of humanitarian programming (particularly with regard to protection and psychosocial support of refugee children); health systems resilience in contexts of crisis (through work in northern Nigeria and the Middle East); the engagement of local faith communities in humanitarian response (in collaboration with World Vision, Islamic Relief, the Lutheran World Federation and the JLI); the adjustment and well-being of humanitarian workers (in collaboration with the Antares Foundation); and health research capacity strengthening.

Related Blog Posts

Image of 草莓社区 Logo
Finding common humanity will help in tackling global migration crisis

Edinburgh recently welcomed the 1,000th person granted refuge in Scotland through the Syrian Rese... read more

Some children of varying ages standing outside
Plight of Syrian refugee children reflects worsening global crisis of security and compassion

The youth and community centre in Mafraq we were visiting bore all the familiar hallmarks of a fa... read more

Image of 草莓社区 Logo
Only disruption of ‘business as usual’ will break down barriers to health

In the summer of 2005, when Scotland hosted the G8 summit at Gleneagles, global health issues wer... read more

Alistair Ager
Scotland’s strengths in science and civil society collaboration will sustain our valued place in the world though this turbulent period

This article was first published in The Times on 16 March 2021. The lengthening days and progress... read more

head shot of Professor Alastair Ager
Using research to support fragile countries in tackling climate change

The effects of climate change are being felt in every corner of the world. However, for nations w... read more