WHOSE PRIORITIES COUNT? Empowering Scientific Capacities for Locally Relevant and Sustainable - PowerPoint Presentation

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WHOSE PRIORITIES COUNT?Empowering Scientific Capacities for Locally Relevant and Sustainable Solutions

Prof. Hannah Akuffo FRCP, FRCPESenior Research Advisor and Programme Manager Research CooperationUnit for Research CooperationDepartment of Partnership and InnovationSwedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

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Research Capacities for what?

The purpose for supporting/strengthening/empowering research/scientific capacities needs to be clarified. Thus managing expectations.Whose funding?Primary objective: DefenceDevelopment cooperationPhilanthropyLocal capacities

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Excellent bio-medical research has come from institutes and low income Research Centres in Africa

In the past (few African biomedical researchers ) were isolated excellent research institutions in Africa, funded fully by European or US governments or charities, where the bulk of the researchers are expatriates. The emphasis of study was fuelled by the colonial masters and tended to focus on potential dangerous infectious diseasesTropical Research institutes set up for fear of the organisms (known/unknown) When the African, (often male) was trained the training was for specific tasks and isolated techniques, rather as part of the intellectual discussionThe decay of African Universities due to the emphasis of the World Bank that Higher Education in Africa was a luxury – emphasis was to be on primary educationTransition from teaching institutions to research led institutionsThe advent of the HIV/AIDS epidemic as it was recognised in East and Southern Africa provided a boost to the African scientists since they were engaged in many studies. With time some were trainedWhen people spoke of research capacity of African colleagues, it was often capacity to carry out a tasks, important as these tasks might have been. Participation in the intellectual discourse was not immediately obvious

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Approach of Swedish International Development Cooperation (Sida

) to further empower local scientists to address local and regional infectious disease prioritiesBuilding/strengthening local research capacity at key institutions for research in and by local scientistsTaking a broad approach to research capacity that enables broad scholarship including the study in countries of diseases of local and regional importance while prepared for possible emerging epidemics/pandemics

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Swedish International Development Agency’s approach to research capacity building

as it emerged in the 1990“Each country needs at least one university capable of providing high quality education and research” Capacity to undertake high quality research Research management capacity Academic capacity,

Postgraduate programmes, incl. PhD Up to date/well maintained Research Infrastructure

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A question that has influenced me and the work we do at Sida regarding research capacity strengthening

At a Multilateral Initiative against Malaria (MIM) meeting in Cameroon in the early 2000 I asked a representative from a well known foundation why they did not support research capacity the answer was ”We do not know what Capacity Building means!”This provoked me into trying to dissect out what we do mean with ”Research Capacity”

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Research groups that can win prestigious competitive grants

A cadre of individual researchers of international standing

University with high ranking based on high impact factor research publications by its scientistsSome will say that research capacity is about excellent researchers

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YES BUT“Sustainability of research capacity can not be achieved by excellent individual researchers alone”

A robust Institutional research promoting structure is essential

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Supporting national research capacity today: From onset we need to know what we would like to achieve (outcomes – the change we anticipate) at the end of the

period of financial support.We need to be prepared for a long term endeavourAt least one research-led university in a partner low/middle income country that has the structures, administration and culture that promotes and rewards good research in a broad range of sciences in a sustainable way, the results of which are of relevance for the further development of the country and region.

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Putting the needs of the Institution in the focus

The example of Long-Term Approach of Research Capacity Strengthening at Makerere University, Uganda

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Problems identified at Makerere

University (MU)March 1999: The problems identified by MU for why there is weak research opportunities at MUWeak research cultureLack of scientific literatureLack of Information Communication Technology, ICTWeak/cumbersome administrationLack of research funds for those with PhDs to continue to do research

MU policy that need for PhD to be lecturer, was not coupled with increased PhD training possibilities

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First Response to MU needs with Information Communication Technology and access to Scientific literature

2000: Provided funding to MU to device a comprehensive ICT Master PlanAsked other donors (NORAD, USAID, African Development Bank) to hold previously planned support until master plan finalised 2004:Optical fibre laid throughout campus. Local area Networks installed. Computers purchasedA comprehensive network including IntranetLibrary Information System (electronic based cataloguing etc

). Access to data bases including 7000 full text journalsSupporting the automation of the Academic registrar’s & Financial management processes

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Sida’s Response to lack of research funds for PhD holders & PhD aspirants

2002Support of Faculty based programmes aimed at “Supporting the supervisor to supervise”Collaboration between senior Swedish/other senior researchers on project of mutual interest with mutual PhD student registered at MU but with opportunity to spend time in Sweden/and elsewhere (Sandwich modality)Provision of funds for project on a needs basisCompetitive University wide research fundsCompetitive Faculty based research funds

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Other Responses

Supporting the setting up of Demographic Surveillance Site (DSS) at Iganga/Mayuge to be owned by Makerere University rather than institutions from outside of UgandaProvides opportunity for interdisciplinary researchProvide continuous data that may be relevant for policyPhD research courses

Support to research administration in MU as well as in SwedenDouble/Joint PhD degree agreement signed in 2003 between Faculty of Medicine and Karolinska Institutet (historical achievement)

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UGANDA(2000 – 2015)

Focus on Makerere UniversityA total of 325 people (mainly PhD level) have finalised their training through the sandwich mode with those working in the area of health research being the majority. The

vast majority have chosen to remain within UgandaIt took a comprehensive university reform, initiated by the university and facilitated by Sida funding to make the Makerere university environment more conducive for performing researchThe position of Post-doctoral fellow has been approved by the universityThe effect of the Sida supported research cooperation is felt throughout the whole university with or without people knowing the source of funding

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UGANDA(2000 – 2015)

Focus on Makerere UniversityThe research culture is evident within most of the colleges within the university even in those colleges that have not received direct comprehensive Sida funding through ICT & library facilities, access to scientific journals, a well established School of Graduate Studies Researchers from Makerere have increased capacity for

winning prestigious research grants beyond the Sida support“Sharing” of the research resources gained at Makerere with the 5 newly established universities, both in terms of training of staff and staff from Makerere moving to teach at these new institutions

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UGANDA(2015 – 2020)

Focus on Makerere University, with training opportunities for other Ugandan public universitiesSida supports:>330 to be trained120 PhDs; 147 Masters (programmes that have a research basis); 65 Post-Docs100 local PhDs; 20 sandwichSandwich post-docs twinning with Swedish post-docs

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Sida funded Research Capacity Strengthening in low/middle income Countries and Regions.A modification in emphasis

“Research Training Partnership Programme as an integral part of Institutional Research Capacity Strengthening”- Open calls for collaboration- Towards local PhD training- substantially increased number of research graduates

2010

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Ensuring ownership of target University

Target University is invited to present Concept notes with 10 year perspective with clear indication of human resource needs defined with SDG (sustainability development goals) lensSida expects target universities to develop their concept note in a transparent and participatory way which allows input from a broad base of stakeholders. Furthermore the target universities are to describe the process used to develop the 10 year plan presented in the concept note.

2010

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Ensuring ownership of target University

Sida makes an open call for proposals for partnerships between researchers from target institutions in collaboration with people from Swedish Institutions BASED ON THE CHOSEN AREAS OF THE TARGET INSTITUTION’S CONCEPT NOTE.Universities in Bolivia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique have been involved in one round of the process.Studies on Infectious disease performed in a multidisciplinary context has been a common feature in all the countriesRwanda has submitted its second concept noteProcess of defining areas is complex, but when finalised appears to be satisfying

2010

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Sida

supports organisations working on “research for health” who in turn provide capacity building and/or funding to others where the focus of support is or has been moved from the “North” to the “South”

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Sida supports organisations working on research for health who in turn provide capacity building and/or funding to others

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ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING FUNDING IN SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, INNOVATION

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Conditions for empowerment can be provided, but ”empowerment” has to be taken

There are many reasons why previous ”dependency ties” are maintained However, after decades, “partnerships” MUST move to be based on truly mutual benefits, otherwise they are NOT partnership but something else………….Local funding is paramount and national governments MUST provide funding Improved expertise in applying for external funds is essential

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Thank You