LeaderNet: Pioneering Peer-to-Peer Learning for Global Health Leadership
LeaderNet: Pioneering Peer-to-Peer Learning for Global Health Leadership
Since its founding, Management Sciences for Health (MSH) has been at the forefront of strengthening health systems through innovative leadership, management, and governance (LMG) approaches. Among MSH’s most pioneering initiatives was LeaderNet, a global digital platform and community of practice that transformed how health professionals learn, collaborate, and lead.
Launched in 2002 under the USAID-funded Management & Leadership Program, LeaderNet was designed to address a critical gap in global health: the need for scalable, cost-effective, and contextually relevant leadership development.
The platform provided health professionals—particularly in low- and middle-income countries—with access to online training, live virtual sessions, and peer-led discussions focused on leading, managing, and governing health services.
Over time, LeaderNet evolved into a cornerstone of MSH’s LMG Project (2011-2017). It offered a dynamic blend of eLearning modalities—including self-paced courses, facilitated virtual seminars, and interactive discussion forums—that enabled participants to apply new skills directly to their work environments, and drive measurable improvements in health service delivery.
At its peak, LeaderNet connected over 9,000 active members from 172 countries, fostering a vibrant virtual network of health leaders. Its emphasis on peer-to-peer learning created a dynamic space for cross-country exchange, mentorship, and innovation. Health leaders learned not only from expert facilitators, but also from one another—sharing strategies to improve governance, enhance service quality, and navigate complex health system challenges.
One standout example was a 2012 virtual seminar hosted in partnership with MEASURE Evaluation, which brought together over 300 participants from government, civil society, and academia to explore monitoring and evaluation strategies. Events like these exemplified LeaderNet’s ability to convene diverse stakeholders around shared goals and spark meaningful dialogue.
Although the platform was decommissioned in June 2024, its impact endures. The principles that guided LeaderNet—local leadership, inclusive learning, and collaborative problem-solving—continue to shape MSH’s digital learning and capacity-strengthening efforts today. Lessons from the LeaderNet inform MSH’s recent work, including:
- Supporting countries to build national learning platforms (e.g., Strengthening Mali’s Virtual Learning Platform and Capacity Strengthening Using Digital Tools);
- Hosting formal learning networks: such as MSH’s role as the Network Manager of the Joint Learning Network [JLN], and MSH’s role as the Secretariat of the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for Universal Health Coverage by 2030 [CSEM]);
- Facilitating multi-country learning collaboratives, including the MSH’s ongoing partnership with the JLN.
LeaderNet was more than a website; it was a movement. It proved that technology, when paired with thoughtful design and local engagement, can transform how health leaders learn and lead.
Though the platform itself has been retired, its legacy lives on through archived videos and visuals on MSH’s LeaderNet YouTube channel. For a quick overview of LeaderNet, watch this video.