Investing in Research Capacity

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Investing in Research Capacity

• Knowledge on the move
• Den Haag February 28-29, 2008
• Berit Olsson
• Director, SAREC

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Some initial reflexions

• Constructive evaluation
• Constructive management response
• Pointing to
• Far greater emphasis on capacity building

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Some issues

• Concept of demand
• Role of our own research community
• Concept of research capacity
• Aid efficiency in promoting research capacity
• Opportunities for enhanced coordination

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Useful knowledge?

• Pathways of migrating birds
• Mapping geological structures
• World religions

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Useful knowledge?

• Pathways of migrating birds
• Mapping geological structures
• World religions

• Bird flue
• Storage of nuclear waste
• Islamology

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Understanding natureUnderstanding
politicsResearch for its own sakeOr useful
knowledge?
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ASSUMPTIONS

• Low income countries benefit from having a vital
  research community

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ASSUMPTIONS

• Low income countries benefit from having a vital
  research community
• Research cooperation may be used for enhancing
  research capacity

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ASSUMPTIONS

• Low income countries benefit from having a vital
  research community
• Research cooperation may be used for enhancing
  research capacity
• Research capacity should be understood as a system

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ASSUMPTIONS

• Low income countries benefit from having a vital
  research community
• Research cooperation may be used for enhancing
  research capacity
• Research capacity should be understood as a
  system
• Capacity for international co-operation is an
  essential element in research capacity

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Research Capacity needed for the implementation
of the Paris Agenda for Aid Effectiveness

• The Paris Principles needed
• for effective support for
• Research Capacity

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Why research?

• Can poor countries limit their ambition to using
  knowledge?
• Is it possible to identify , select and adapt new
  knowledge without an essential basis for research?

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National Research Capacity

• Contact with international research
• Local analysis and advice
• Relevant research agenda
• Critical thinking in higher education
• Evidence based critique and debate
• Capacity for research training
• Stimulates innovation

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New push for investing in RD

• At the 8th summit of AU in January 2007
• African Heads of State pledgedto spend 1 of GDP
  on research by 2010

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Trends weakening chances of building a basis for
research

• Dilution of resources due to rapid expansion of
  higher education

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Trends weakening chances of building a basis for
research

• Dilution of resources due to rapid expansion of
  higher education
• Fragmentation of efforts due to- push for
  immediate returns - application driven project
  funding - problem oriented research cooperation
• - vertical support programmes.

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External research funding

• Programmes primarily adressing defined research
  issues
• Enhanced research capacity is a desired, but
  secondary impact

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Aid funded research

• Research on and for low income countries - for
  agency policies- for access to relevant
  knowledge- for new discoveries ( e.g.vaccines)
• International research organisations
• Regional research org. networks
• Calls for research projects

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Research partnerships

• Co-operation with low income countries combine
  many ambitions
• - creating and using knowledge- problem
  solving- stimulating links between countries
• Plus
• - enhancing capacities

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Research cooperation

• Regular research funding, (NIH, EU)
• Situated perspectives and data in adressing
  global problems

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Problem oriented Research projects/programmes

• Interact with and benefit from research
  activities at the national level providing
  situated perspectives
• Depend on countries having a functioning basis
  for research
• Do not automatically contribute to sustaining an
  institutional basis for research

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Sustained capacity?

• The basis for research in low income countries
  will not be built or sustained merely through
  vertical programmes focussing on particular
  issues or problems.

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Capacity oriented programmes

• Regional PhD programmes (AERC ICIPE)
• Research scholarships (TWAS, bilaterals)
• Research grants in country (IFS, CODESRIA)

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Capacity impact

• Depends on the extent cooperation offers are
  aligned with research strategies and plans of the
  institution and on the degree of harmonisation
  with institutional practice

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Institutional support

• University support ( Netherlands, Norway,
  Sweden, the four Foundations)
• Research institute support
• May contribute to conditions for research

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Swedish experience
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SARECs mandate

• Assist developing countries in
• building national research capacity
• supporting their access to relevant research
  findings
• Swedish development research

1975 - 2008
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SARECs mandate

• Assist developing countries by
• Supporting researchin and by low income
  countries
• supporting researchon and for development

1975 - 2008
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Research Cooperation - Modalities

• 1975-1985 Research councils - grants
• 1980- Research training
• 1985- Research environments
• 1990- Universities/Institutions
• 1995- National research training
• 2000- Knowledge systems

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NATIONAL RESEARCH SUPPORTSupport to low-income
countries to build up good research environments
to educate researchers and to develop methods
for planning, prioritization and financing of
research

• Looks different in different countries
• Based on needs and relevance for the country

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(No Transcript)
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Process prior to entering into research
cooperation

• Assessment of research financing
• Determination of source of research funding in
  country
• System review
• To assess the administrative/financial competence
  of the university
• Choice of area of research
• It is the Nicaraguan or Ugandan scientists that
  define the area or research, and engage the
  Swedish counterparts for refinement of PhD
  projects

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Hallmark of Sida/SAREC university support

• OWNERSHIP
• University setting its own research agenda
• Researchers identifying their own research
  questions
• University/researchers identifying collaborating
  Swedish and other counterparts
• University managing the financial contribution
• University owning the programme
• Using the opportunities of the programme to
  enhance research, teaching and management within
  the WHOLE university

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National Research capacity
National research policy strategy
Culture of inquiry
Budget line for National research
National commitment to research
Improved teaching- less didactic
Skills for carrying out research
National research capacity
Research University as a hub
Asking nationally relevant questions
Capacity for analysis
Capacity to generate own knowledge
Capacity for evaluation
Capacity to utilise external research/knowledge
Innovation systems
Agents of Change Using evidence to question
Capacity to be part of international research
community
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University Research capacity
University policies and strategies
Culture of inquiry
Capacity for local PhD examination
Dedicated university budget for research
Research University
An Enabling Environment for research
Improved teaching- less didactic
University mechanisms for innovation
Mechanisms of research communication
Mechanisms to encourage reward research
Skills for research management
Well trained Researchers
Access to scientific literature
Access to Information Communication Technology
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Research capacity

• Qualified researchers - research groups -
  laboratories, libraries, ICT
• Institutions - universities, research training
  - research institutes
• - research management
• System - policy, organization, resources -
  Research Councils

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Regional cooperation

• Regional architecture of
• Research funding structures
• Research networks
• Research organisations
• NGO structures, agency funded

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Bilateral Donor Support to Tanzania, 2000
Source Foreign Policy, Ranking the Rich 2004
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From donorship to ownership
Development Results