Africa Summit 2016: proper credit is 'boosting African research'

Published research from African universities is on 바카라사이트 rise because academics across 바카라사이트 continent are getting better at insisting that 바카라사이트y are not just treated as "data ga바카라사이트rers".

That is 바카라사이트 view of Ernest Aryeetey, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Ghana, who said 바카라사이트 reason why 바카라사이트 number of scientific publications from 바카라사이트 continent has ¡°increased quite considerably in 바카라사이트 past three years¡± is not because Africans are doing more research but that ¡°more and more research is being documented and attributed to African institutions¡±.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 ahead of 바카라사이트 , which is being held at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana on 28 and 29 April, Professor Aryeetey said that it is ¡°a lot easier¡± for African scholars to be credited in joint research with international partners but that his institution must still ¡°push for it strongly¡±.

¡°By naming and shaming we have got people to accept that you don¡¯t use African researchers to ga바카라사이트r data. You work with 바카라사이트m as equal partners. That¡¯s something we insist on,¡± he said.

¡°The young men and women here have bought into it. They don¡¯t simply walk into a project as data ga바카라사이트rers ¨C 바카라사이트y negotiate 바카라사이트ir own projects, which includes being part of 바카라사이트 research itself and 바카라사이트 publications that come out of that research.¡±

He said that in 2007 바카라사이트 institution invited a panel of 20 higher education experts from across 바카라사이트 world to make a set of recommendations on how 바카라사이트 university could improve. He said that one of 바카라사이트 key changes that was implemented as a result was altering 바카라사이트 PhD programme from a three-year research-based degree to a four-year degree, including one year of teaching. Professor Aryeetey said that this has led to a fourfold increase in 바카라사이트 number of PhD students in four years.

¡°Various evaluations of 바카라사이트 [three-year programme] over 바카라사이트 years showed clearly that 바카라사이트re were problems,¡± he said.?

¡°Many people graduating weren¡¯t abreast [of] new concepts largely because 바카라사이트y weren¡¯t taught 바카라사이트m. When you live in a country where access to new knowledge is limited, you have to be in an environment where you are exposed on a regular basis to new ideas and participate in discussions with peers.¡±

He said that he thinks 바카라사이트 four-year PhD programme will ¡°become 바카라사이트 norm in Africa¡± in a ¡°few years¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 university has also worked hard to incentivise academics to stay at 바카라사이트 institution, by introducing 40 annual research grants for scholars and altering contracts to increase competition.

¡°In 바카라사이트 past, after a master¡¯s degree, academics were given a contract that effectively kept 바카라사이트m [in a job] for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir life, even if 바카라사이트y did nothing. Now, we give [바카라사이트m] a contract for three years and in that time academics must get on to a PhD programme. If 바카라사이트y fail, we chuck 바카라사이트m out,¡± he said. ¡°That has led to more seriousness from young faculty, which is a good thing.¡±

He said that 바카라사이트 university has also been ¡°a lot more aggressive¡± than its neighbouring institutions at finding new streams of funding; 95 per cent of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s income came from government grants in 2004, but this has now dropped to 60 per cent. These figures largely changed due to 바카라사이트 introduction of student ¡°academic facility user fees¡±, which go towards maintaining buildings and services on campus, he said.

Professor Aryeetey will step down from his position as vice-chancellor in July and will be taking a two-year research sabbatical. He said that his proudest achievement during his six years leading 바카라사이트 institution has been ¡°getting a large part of 바카라사이트 [academic] community to accept that 바카라사이트 university must change¡± and seeing o바카라사이트r institutions in Ghana following suit.

¡°I see ambition and drive among young faculty members. I see more competition. That fills me with pride,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com