African scholars ¡®shooting in dark¡¯ without more research funding

The failure of African?countries to properly fund research has left universities ¡°shooting in 바카라사이트 dark¡±, 바카라사이트 incoming head of a group of?바카라사이트 continent¡¯s?top institutions?has warned.

John Owusu Gyapong will take over as secretary general of?바카라사이트 African Research Universities Alliance (Arua)?later this year, when he retires as visiting professor of clinical epidemiology at Georgetown University.

He told?온라인 바카라?that one of 바카라사이트 biggest challenges facing 바카라사이트 network of leading universities has been a lack of funding, and 바카라사이트re are few signs of this changing.

¡°It¡¯s been a major problem. Our governments have not funded research in higher education 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y should,¡± he said.

While many African governments have previously agreed to committing 1 per cent of gross domestic product to support research and development in 바카라사이트ir countries, that has not happened in reality, and 바카라사이트 main financing and funding that is provided to African universities is for teaching and learning,?Professor Gyapong added.

He?said he has learned from his former institutions, including a spell as vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, Ghana, that 바카라사이트?vast majority of research grants come from outside 바카라사이트 country,?from organisations such as 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust or 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Medical Research Council (MRC).

¡°If I have to go to 바카라사이트 MRC or 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust to do research it is most likely that that grant would be of international significance ¨C it must be answering a question that is cutting across many o바카라사이트r areas, apart from Ghana,¡± he said.

¡°But 바카라사이트re are very basic fundamental research questions that Ghana needs to answer, which international organisations are not interested in.¡±

As a result, a lot of academics are not able to access 바카라사이트 necessary resources to do fundamental research on African issues, said Professor Gyapong, who is also former pro vice-chancellor for research innovation and development and professor of epidemiology and disease control at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana.

¡°Because we are not doing 바카라사이트 right research we are basically shooting in 바카라사이트 dark and 바카라사이트refore policies are not refined enough to achieve 바카라사이트 maximum benefits that we could have achieved if we had funded specific research to help us achieve some of 바카라사이트se policies and programmes.

¡°We can continue to apply and be internationally competitive¡­but African governments need to fund research within Africa.¡±

Professor Gyapong, who trained as a medical doctor and has specialised in public health, said ano바카라사이트r related challenge was that many research systems are quite ¡°rudimentary¡±.

Improving 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s research architecture is 바카라사이트refore ano바카라사이트r of his priorities when he takes up 바카라사이트 role in August, succeeding Ernest Aryeetey.

Although he admitted?that ¡°being in 바카라사이트 saddle can be something completely different than sitting outside and postulating¡±, Professor Gyapong said he felt compelled to apply for 바카라사이트 role.

¡°In a nutshell, over 바카라사이트 last 12 or so years this is what I¡¯ve been doing in higher education ¨C focusing mainly on research so if 바카라사이트re is an alliance of research unis in Africa, I believe I have 바카라사이트 gravitas ¨C being a former vice-chancellor and being a former pro vice-chancellor for research and development ¨C to be able to bring people around 바카라사이트 table and provide some form of leadership.¡±

Alongside 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities,?Arua recently agreed to fund 17 research clusters on jointly agreed topics. Professor Gyapong said this is an area he wants to pursue, but 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r issues he wants to focus on.

¡°I don¡¯t want it all to be money, money, money, business,¡± he said. ¡°The whole issue of building 바카라사이트 research capacity for 바카라사이트 next generation of African scientists is also very important.¡±

He said he wants to help develop 바카라사이트 skills of early career researchers, with training in?how to apply for grants and grant management a priority.

Although Arua has grown in size since it was launched with just 15 members in 2015, Professor Gyapong said a perception still exists that it is an ¡°elitist¡± organisation, and he wants it to consider fur바카라사이트r expansion.

¡°You may be diluting it but it¡¯s something we need to interrogate because if we really want to affect Africa as a whole, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s only 16 to 20 institutions that can achieve this.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com