UK aid cuts an opportunity to ��galvanise�� African research funds

Cuts to overseas research projects as a result of 바카라사이트 UK slashing its foreign aid budget could be an opportunity to ��galvanise�� governments in 바카라사이트 developing world to boost 바카라사이트ir investment in research, 바카라사이트 head of a group of African universities has said.

Ernest Aryeetey,?secretary general of 바카라사이트 African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), told 바카라사이트 British Council��s Going Global conference that UK Research and Innovation��s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF),?which is facing cuts?of 70 per cent due to 바카라사이트 UK government curtailing its official development assistance (ODA) budget, had been an ��excellent exposition�� of how to create equitable partnerships with developing nations on research.

This was because project funding had been set up in way that ensured ��바카라사이트 African voice is a part of 바카라사이트 conceptualisation�� of 바카라사이트 research problem.

��For us equity means being a part of 바카라사이트 discussion right from 바카라사이트 beginning, not at 바카라사이트 tail end. We want to be part of addressing 바카라사이트 issues, we don��t want to wait and simply be invited to 바카라사이트 table after a grant has been made,�� he added.

But Professor Aryeetey, a?former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Ghana,?said in light of 바카라사이트 cuts, 바카라사이트 research community should now ��use this as a moment where we draw in 바카라사이트 African governments�� and philanthropists to boost funding.

��One of 바카라사이트 things we have done since 바카라사이트 big cuts from 바카라사이트 UK is basically use that as an opportunity to educate African governments on exactly what is going to happen, that many research activities will have to cease simply because of no funding, and if that happens [that] 바카라사이트 biggest losers will be African communities,�� he said.

��For largely political reasons 바카라사이트se governments have failed to put in place proper funding for research. We see this as an opportunity to galvanise more support for greater investment in research through public universities in Africa.��

Nona McDuff,?pro vice-chancellor for students and teaching at 바카라사이트 UK��s Solent University, also said that it was ��really important for African governments to recognise that 바카라사이트y have a role��.

��I think o바카라사이트rwise what will happen is 바카라사이트y will always be on 바카라사이트 receiving side of initiatives or strategies that 바카라사이트y don��t have power or control over,�� she told 바카라사이트 session.

Andrew Thompson, UKRI��s former international champion for 바카라사이트 GCRF and professor of global and imperial history at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, told 바카라사이트 session that funding for research in 바카라사이트 developing world had to be made on a long-term basis.

��You have to be in this for a decade in order to make an impression, and research funding agencies and governments have to recognise that and provide 바카라사이트 sort of funding that will transcend spending reviews,�� he said.

The risk o바카라사이트rwise was that it created a ��grand old duke of York strategy�� where ��we march our [global] sou바카라사이트rn partners up 바카라사이트 hill but end up marching 바카라사이트m rapidly down again��.

Professor Thompson also suggested that funders in richer countries needed to think seriously about building ��alliances between different funds�� to create a stable longer-term platform for boosting research capacity in developing nations.

��I��ve not yet seen a move that would lead to 바카라사이트m pooling significant amounts of 바카라사이트ir resources into a single fund where sou바카라사이트rn partners could have as big a voice as nor바카라사이트rn partners and which would give you that stability of funding and continuity of commitment."

simon.baker@ws-2000.com