GENERAL

2010

Intermational Network of Research Management Societies congress in Cape Town, 11-15th April 2010

2008

2008 International Survey of University Staff in Research Management

2005

2005 International Research Management Benchmarking Programme and Report to HEFCE

AFRICA

2009-2012

The Improvement of Research & Innovation Management Capacity in Africa and the Caribbean for the Successful Stimulation and Dissemination of Research Results (Acronym: RIMI4AC ).

2009-2011

Carnegie Programme to Strengthen Research Management in African Universities 

2010

Funders and African Universities: Enhancing the Relationship

2007

Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities: African University Perspectives

2007

Carnegie Programme to Strengthen Research Management in African Universities 2007

2007

The West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA) 2007

2005

The Demand for Research Management Support in African Universities – ACU-SARIMA seminar for African Universities, Cape Town

2001

2001 Research Management in African Universities – a Benchmarking Seminar Held in Durban, South Africa 1-3 April

ASIA

2002

Managing University Research: the Case of India – seminar held in Goa, May 2002

CARIBBEAN

2009 - 2012

The Improvement of Research & Innovation Management Capacity in Africa and the Caribbean for the Successful Stimulation and Dissemination of Research Results (Acronym: RIMI4AC ). 

The INORMS 2010 Congress was jointly hosted by the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) and the ACU, and ran from 11-15 April 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.

International Survey of University Staff in Research Management 2008
The 2008 survey looked at (primarily University) research management staff, the skills they require, their career paths and what they think of their profession. This largely online survey attracted 400 responses from 24 countries. Contact resman@acu.ac.uk for further details.

International Research Management Benchmarking Programme 2005
The ACU's international research management benchmarking programme, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), brought together senior staff from 15 HEI's in Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the US in a detailed examination of RM practice generating 87 good practice statements relating to pre-award and post-award activities.  The benchmarking exercise reported in this document sought to facilitate this process amongst 15 universities from nine countries. The exercise utilised a benchmarking process, unique to the Association of Commonwealth Universities and designed specifically for use in university management processes. Discussions were based on two events, which took place in September 2004 and April 2005, but in each case relied on considerable preparatory work by the participants in recording their current processes and practice. This ensured that discussion could be focused on key issues. Each session produced a series of good practice statements, against which participants and the wider higher education community could evaluate their current provision.

Overall, the project confirmed our initial hypothesis that research management structures were continuing to evolve at a rapid pace. This was driven largely by developments in the external environment for research, but increasingly also by specific initiatives from governments, which in most participating countries explicitly recognised the importance of university research for wider economic and social needs.

The report can be found at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Pubs/RDreports/2006/rd11_06/

AFRICA

Carnegie Programme to Strengthen Research Management in African Universities  - 2009-2011 **Ongoing

Communicating Research for Utilisation - 2010
This is A DFID- funded a scoping study to establish the current levels of capacity to create and use development research evidence and the demand for capacity-building, with a view to developing a research programme in this area.   The study had 3 main aims 

1).  to establish, in a representative sample of universities in sub-Saharan Africa, the current level of awareness of, and response to, the growing strategic importance of maximising the conditions for uptake of development research by appropriate modes of communication and dissemination to their diverse institutional stakeholders; including national agencies and international development funders;

2).  to establish the current and potential individual and institutional capacity in these universities to provide institutional support to researchers planning, undertaking and communicating and disseminating their research findings; and the demand for strengthened capacity;

3). to establish the supply and demand for academically accredited certificate and post-graduate degree courses in the theory and practice of strategic research communication and uptake planning and evaluation, and the demand for the types of modes of delivery that would be most practical and effective.

The study was undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa in consultation with universities, institutions including governments and NGOs, agencies and development research programmes, at regional and national levels.

Further infomation on the study and the report of the study can be found on the DFID website. 

Funders and African Universities: Enhancing the Relationship  2010
This seminar allowed us to bring together a small cohort of universities and donors to explore what could be done to enhance their relationship.  This informal event, which was sponsored by the Wellcome Trust and facilitated by the ACU, allowed for a free and open discussion, and identified practical measures that could be implemented by both groups.  The notes of this seminar have been complied into a briefing paper, which will be uploaded soon

Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities: African University Perspectives – 2007
A consultation project in conjunction with the British Academy and with the involvement of the African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK) and the Royal African Society (www.royalafricansociety.org). The consultation set out to identify the key challenges facing social science and humanities researchers in Africa and to formulate workable frameworks to develop research capacity in order to address these needs. In recognition of the importance of international collaboration in addressing these issues, the project focused particularly on partnerships between African and UK universities.

The report is based on a consultation of African academics, research managers and human resource managers across African universities. Participants in the survey were invited to contribute their perspectives on the existing challenges and future needs of the university research community. The inclusion of both academic and management perspectives enabled ideas from a number of groups to be considered together, and helped to better understand how and where future support could be best delivered.

The report's recommendations will now be taken forward for further discussion at a meeting to be held in Nairobi, in February 2008. This meeting will bring together the key constituencies involved in research and collaboration, including representatives from African universities and associations, the UK donor community, and those involved in collaborative projects in UK universities.

It is hoped that this will allow further discussion of the issues and make it possible to develop an action plan for strengthening research capacity in and on Africa, both in Africa and in the UK.

For further information, see the report of the project  or contact us at  resman@acu.ac.uk

Carnegie Programme to Improve Research Management in African Universities – 2007
The Carnegie Corporation of New York, funded the 2007 ACU/SRA initiative to strengthen research management in African universities. The cohort of institutions (all ACU members) included the Carnegie-member universities, MacArthur Foundation funded universities and a few other non 'donor-affiliated' institutions. The two main features of this project were the benchmarking surveys, and the seminars – which were run next to other relevant research management events (at the same venue), thus introducing opportunities for sharing expertise, and the ability for them to set their expertise against a wider community of practice.

At the seminars, delegates discussed best practice in a range of areas from Finding Funding Sources and Proposal Preparation, through Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research, to Technology Transfer and Diffusion of Research Results. They also compared varying institutional models on structuring for Research Management, and levels of progress (as identified in the benchmarking surveys) and provided participants with an opportunity to articulate and agree their needs for the next stage of development.

For further information, see the report of the first Carnegie Workshop or contact us at  resman@acu.ac.uk

The WARIMA steering committee recognised that a successful first year would be vital to its sustainability, and sought to ensure maximum external assistance during this period. In March 2007, the Institute of Education London (IOE) successfully obtained a grant under the England-Africa Partnerships programme (EAP) to support development work of WARIMA in its first year. The project director based at the IOE, was also the Deputy Chair of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), at that time, and through ARMA played an important role in harnessing wider UK involvement.
The IOE worked closely with The University of Ibadan which is home to the WARIMA office, Chair of the WARIMA steering committee, and centre of its communications network. The University of Sierra Leone, which has developed significant expertise in pre-award research administration, and played an important role in ensuring that the initiative is a genuinely regional one, and the University of Ghana. Other participants were the recently merged Walter Sisulu University which has first hand experience of developing new research structures in recent years, SARIMA and The Association of Commonwealth Universities which manged the project.

During the year 2007-2008 the project: supported three international meetings in West Africa; provided resources and materials – for the above mentioned meetings and for WARIMA members; and covered the costs of the central office set-up and the office administration support

* Since the project started, the National Universities Commission Nigeria, the University of Buea and the University of Gambia have become involved in the development of WARIMA and are now represented on the Steering Committee.

The WARIMA website is at www.warima.org

The Demand for Research Management Support in African Universities – ACU-SARIMA seminar for African Universities, Cape Town 2005
The event (supported by Carnegie and DFID) aimed to establish (a) whether African universities had the expertise and desire to benefit from greater external support for their research management functions, and (b), if so, what forms of support would be most appropriate.

Prior to the seminar, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire regarding their current provision in the area of research management, and their perceptions of strength and weakness. Whilst care was taken to involve institutions from a range of historical and regional backgrounds, attendees disproportionately represented institutions known to have significant existing research capacity. See the report of the seminar for further information

For further information see the report of the Cape Town seminar or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk

Research Management in African Universities - a Benchmarking Seminar Held in Durban, South Africa 1-3 April 2001
The seminar aimed to assist participants in developing strategies towards research management at their own universities. In doing so, it sought to identify a number of key generic issues that other institutions could use in developing their own services. Prior to the seminar, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire.This sought to establish the current level of research management (and research activity generally) within their institutions. Equally important, it sought comments on the barriers to further progress and examples of initiatives which had proved successful. From this information, the organisers selected a number of key statements and approaches which formed the starting point for discussion in each of the main conference headings.

The ideal outcome of each session was a series of 'good practice statements', which would be considered by any institution in developing future strategy.
This process was carried out under five headings – the development of policies and structures at institutional level, the role of central support services for research and consultancy, the management of external projects, strategy towards intellectual property rights and the management of external links and marketing of research and consultancy services.
The purpose of the event was twofold. First, it gave participants an opportunity to benchmark current activities in detail, and identify specific areas for development. Second, it provided the programme organisers with valuable insight into the current level of activity and barriers to further progress. A third, and very welcome outcome, was the decision of participating universities to form a South African network to continue discussions on a more permanent basis.

For further information see the report of the Durban seminar or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk

ASIA

Managing University Research: the Case of India – seminar held in Goa, May 2002
Indian universities combine high academic standards with a great deal of diversity. Research led universities and institutes have become increasingly successful in international collaborative research, and clearly have the capacity to develop intellectual property of commercial value. On the other hand, it was of some concern that universities in India appear to have played relatively little role in the developing global debate on research management issues.

To assess the current situation further, we were able to analyse the results of the Commonwealth wide survey of university research management conducted as part of our programme. It should be emphasised that this does not purport to be – nor was it intended as – a representative sample. Our results comprise replies from 10 Indian universities, out of a worldwide response of 118.
Although needs were expressed in all areas, these were least acute in the area of internal structures. Indian respondents were relatively confident that appropriate policies and strategies were being developed, contract management systems were in place and that internal communications with staff were adequate. They were, however, less confident about external relations involved in the process. Market intelligence, dissemination of results to wider society and, in particular, identification and exploitation of intellectual property were all regarded as more problematic than the average. It was noted that individual initiatives were already taking place in intellectual property training. However the more important issue identified by the seminar was the question of how institutions could plan and implement a strategy in the field.

Discussion focused on the key question of whether the central university could assist the process, and if so what practical measures could be adopted. (This event was supported by the FCO). 

For further information see the report of the seminar in Goa or email us at

resman@acu.ac.uk

CARIBBEAN

BRITISH ACADEMY

Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities: African University Perspectives – 2007
A consultation project in conjunction with the British Academy and with the involvement of the African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK) and the Royal African Society (www.royalafricansociety.org). The consultation set out to identify the key challenges facing social science and humanities researchers in Africa and to formulate workable frameworks to develop research capacity in order to address these needs. In recognition of the importance of international collaboration in addressing these issues, the project focused particularly on partnerships between African and UK universities

The report is based on a consultation of African academics, research managers and human resource managers across African universities. Participants in the survey were invited to contribute their perspectives on the existing challenges and future needs of the university research community. The inclusion of both academic and management perspectives enabled ideas from a number of groups to be considered together, and helped to better understand how and where future support could be best delivered.

The report's recommendations will now be taken forward for further discussion at a meeting to be held in Nairobi, in February 2008. This meeting will bring together the key constituencies involved in research and collaboration, including representatives from African universities and associations, the UK donor community, and those involved in collaborative projects in UK universities.

It is hoped that this will allow further discussion of the issues and make it possible to develop an action plan for strengthening research capacity in and on Africa, both in Africa and in the UK.

For further information, see the report of the project  or contact

CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK

Current  Project: 2009-2011:  Research Management in African Universities: from awareness raising to developing structures

Carnegie Programme to Improve Research Management in African Universities – 2007
The Carnegie Corporation of New York, funded the 2007 ACU/SRA initiative to strengthen research management in African universities. The cohort of institutions (all ACU members) included the Carnegie-member universities, MacArthur Foundation funded universities and a few other non 'donor-affiliated' institutions. The two main features of this project were the benchmarking surveys, and the seminars – which were run next to other relevant research management events (at the same venue), thus introducing opportunities for sharing expertise, and the ability for them to set their expertise against a wider community of practice.

At the seminars, delegates discussed best practice in a range of areas from Finding Funding Sources and Proposal Preparation, through Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research, to Technology Transfer and Diffusion of Research Results. They also compared varying institutional models on structuring for Research Management, and levels of progress (as identified in the benchmarking surveys) and provided participants with an opportunity to articulate and agree their needs for the next stage of development.

For further information, see the report of the first Carnegie Workshop or contact us at  resman@acu.ac.uk.

The Demand for Research Management Support in African Universities – ACU-SARIMA seminar for African Universities, Cape Town 2005
The event (supported by Carnegie and DFID) aimed to establish (a) whether African universities had the expertise and desire to benefit from greater external support for their research management functions, and (b), if so, what forms of support would be most appropriate.
Prior to the seminar, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire regarding their current provision in the area of research management, and their perceptions of strength and weakness. Whilst care was taken to involve institutions from a range of historical and regional backgrounds, attendees disproportionately represented institutions known to have significant existing research capacity.

For further information see the report of the Cape Town seminar or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk

DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID)

Communicating Research for Utilisation - 2010
This is A DFID- funded a scoping study to establish the current levels of capacity to create and use development research evidence and the demand for capacity-building, with a view to developing a research programme in this area.   The study had 3 main aims 

1).  to establish, in a representative sample of universities in sub-Saharan Africa, the current level of awareness of, and response to, the growing strategic importance of maximising the conditions for uptake of development research by appropriate modes of communication and dissemination to their diverse institutional stakeholders; including national agencies and international development funders;

2).  to establish the current and potential individual and institutional capacity in these universities to provide institutional support to researchers planning, undertaking and communicating and disseminating their research findings; and the demand for strengthened capacity;

3). to establish the supply and demand for academically accredited certificate and post-graduate degree courses in the theory and practice of strategic research communication and uptake planning and evaluation, and the demand for the types of modes of delivery that would be most practical and effective.

The study was undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa in consultation with universities, institutions including governments and NGOs, agencies and development research programmes, at regional and national levels.

Further infomation on the study and the report of the study can be found on the DFID website. 

The Demand for Research Management Support in African Universities – ACU-SARIMA seminar for African Universities, Cape Town 2005
The event (supported by Carnegie and DFID) aimed to establish (a) whether African universities had the expertise and desire to benefit from greater external support for their research management functions, and (b), if so, what forms of support would be most appropriate.

Prior to the seminar, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire regarding their current provision in the area of research management, and their perceptions of strength and weakness. Whilst care was taken to involve institutions from a range of historical and regional backgrounds, attendees disproportionately represented institutions known to have significant existing research capacity.

For further information see the report of the Cape Town seminar or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk 

DEPARTMENT FOR UNIVERSITIES INNOVATION AND SKILLS (DUIS)

The West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA) – 2007
WARIMA was set up in November 2006, at a meeting of over twenty universities from five African countries. WARIMA, now the professional body for research management staff in the West Africa region, aims to help universities make the best use of their research resources by: promoting good practice in accessing external research funds, contract negotiation, financial and other project management and the exploitation of intellectual property. The organisation seeks to replicate the success of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), which was established in 2002.

The WARIMA steering committee recognised that a successful first year would be vital to its sustainability, and sought to ensure maximum external assistance during this period. In March 2007, the Institute of Education London (IOE) successfully obtained a grant under the England-Africa Partnerships programme (EAP) to support development work of WARIMA in its first year. The project director based at the IOE, was also the Deputy Chair of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), at that time, and through ARMA played an important role in harnessing wider UK involvement.

The IOE worked closely with the University of Ibadan which is home to the WARIMA office, Chair of the WARIMA steering committee, and centre of its communications network. The University of Sierra Leone, which has developed significant expertise in pre-award research administration, and played an important role in ensuring that the initiative is a genuinely regional one, and the University of Ghana. Other participants were the recently merged Walter Sisulu University which has first hand experience of developing new research structures in recent years, SARIMA and the Association of Commonwealth Universities which managed the project.

During the year 2007-2008 the project: supported three international meetings in West Africa; provided resources and materials – for the above mentioned meetings and for WARIMA members; and covered the costs of the central office set-up and the office administration support

* Since the project started, the National Universities Commission Nigeria, the University of Buea and the University of Gambia have become involved in the development of WARIMA and are now represented on the Steering Committee.

The WARIMA website is at www.warima.org

EU ACP SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME 

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (FCO)

Managing University Research: the Case of India – seminar held in Goa, May 2002
Indian universities combine high academic standards with a great deal of diversity. Research led universities and institutes have become increasingly successful in international collaborative research, and clearly have the capacity to develop intellectual property of commercial value. On the other hand, it was of some concern that universities in India appear to have played relatively little role in the developing global debate on research management issues.

To assess the current situation further, we were analysed the results of the Commonwealth wide survey of university research management conducted as part of our programme. It should be emphasised that this does not purport to be – nor was it intended as – a representative sample. Our results comprise replies from 10 Indian universities, out of a world wide response of 118.

Although needs were expressed in all areas, these were least acute in the area of internal structures. Indian respondents were relatively confident that appropriate policies and strategies were being developed, contract management systems were in place and that internal communications with staff were adequate. They were, however, less confident about external relations involved in the process. Market intelligence, dissemination of results to wider society and, in particular, identification and exploitation of intellectual property were all regarded as more problematic than the average. It was noted that individual initiatives were already taking place in intellectual property training. However the more important issue identified by the seminar was the question of how institutions could plan and implement a strategy in the field.

Discussion focused on the key question of whether the central university could assist the process, and if so what practical measures could be adopted. (This event was supported by the FCO). 

For further information see the report of the seminar in Goa or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk

HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND AND WALES (HEFCE)

International Research Management Benchmarking Programme 2005
The ACU's international research management benchmarking programme, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), brought together senior staff from 15 HEI's in Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the US in a detailed examination of RM practice generating 87 good practice statements relating to pre-award and post-award activities.

The benchmarking exercise reported in this document sought to facilitate this process amongst 15 universities from nine countries. The exercise utilised a benchmarking process, unique to the Association of Commonwealth Universities and designed specifically for use in university management processes. Discussions were based on two events, which took place in September 2004 and April 2005, but in each case relied on considerable preparatory work by the participants in recording their current processes and practice. This ensured that discussion could be focussed on key issues. Each session produced a series of good practice statements, against which participants and the wider higher education community could evaluate their current provision.

Overall, the project confirmed our initial hypothesis that research management structures were continuing to evolve at a rapid pace. This was driven largely by developments in the external environment for research, but increasingly also by specific initiatives from governments, which in most participating countries explicitly recognised the importance of university research for wider economic and social needs.

The report can be found at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Pubs/RDreports/2006/rd11_06/

WELLCOME TRUST

Funders and African Universities: Enhancing the Relationship - 2010
This seminar allowed us to bring together a small cohort of universities and donors to explore what could be done to enhance their relationship.  This informal event, which was sponsored by the Wellcome Trust and facilitated by the ACU, allowed for a free and open discussion, and identified practical measures that could be implemented by both groups.  The notes of this seminar have been complied into a briefing paper, which will be uploaded soon

ACU FUNDED PROJECTS

International Survey of University Staff in Research Management 2008
The 2008 survey looked at (primarily University) research management staff, the skills they require, their career paths and what they think of their profession. This largely online survey attracted 400 responses from 24 countries. Contact resman@acu.ac.uk for further details.

Research Management in African Universities – a Benchmarking Seminar Held in Durban, South Africa 1-3 April 2001
The seminar aimed to assist participants in developing strategies towards research management at their own universities. In doing so, it sought to identify a number of key generic issues that other institutions could use in developing their own services. Prior to the seminar, participants were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire.

This sought to establish the current level of research management (and research activity generally) within their institutions. Equally important, it sought comments on the barriers to further progress and examples of initiatives which had proved successful. From this information, the organisers selected a number of key statements and approaches which formed the starting point for discussion in each of the main conference headings.

The ideal outcome of each session was a series of 'good practice statements', which would be considered by any institution in developing future strategy.
This process was carried out under five headings – the development of policies and structures at institutional level, the role of central support services for research and consultancy, the management of external projects, strategy towards intellectual property rights and the management of external links and marketing of research and consultancy services.

The purpose of the event was twofold. First, it gave participants an opportunity to benchmark current activities in detail, and identify specific areas for development. Second, it provided the programme organisers with valuable insight into the current level of activity and barriers to further progress. A third, and very welcome outcome, was the decision of participating universities to form a South African network to continue discussions on a more permanent basis.

For further information see the report of the Durban seminar or email us at resman@acu.ac.uk