A memorandum of understanding between The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) and the Network for Education and Multidisciplinary Research Africa (NEMRA) to promote research collaboration and dissemination.
Dr. Martin Ongol, the acting executive secretary at the UNCST, and Prof. Stella Neema, the board chairperson at NEMRA, represented their respective organisations and signed on their behalf.
The event was held at UNCST offices in Ntinda, Kampala.
According to Ongol, UNCST as an apex organization in science, technology and innovation will provide leadership in strategy, planning, and commission research in urgent matters of national interest.
Neema looked forward to collaborating with the UNCST to improve their members’ knowledge and skills around research governance and organization, the knowledge of the standards, requirements and professionalism to do and manage research projects and resources.
“The research collaboration will consequently lead to a NEMRA-UNCST accredited Certificate training programme on research management. This will close a huge gap we have in our institutions concerning research governance,” Neema said.
The memorandum is primarily aimed at the translation of research into actions, products and services.
This will inform policy, and planning, enhance enterprise and industrial development and ultimately transform the lives of Ugandans.
NEMRA is an inter-institutional network of academic researchers and practitioners advancing a culture of intellectually generated evidence-based policy and practice in Africa.
Its mission is to demystify the issues around doing academic research, develop insights across a wide array of disciplines, share ideas and develop networks in the process of providing solutions to societal problems through research and postgraduate education.
The main areas of collaboration include assessing the current research regulatory frameworks in Uganda, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing between research institutes.
Other areas are; higher education institutions and the private sector, enhanced dissemination of research carried out in Uganda through technical and policy briefs, newsletter series, peer-reviewed journals and other publication outlets
The parties will collaborate in developing and delivering research capacity building initiatives.
The joint efforts will support quality assurance and auditing of field activities for research in the humanities and social sciences.
UNCST is committed to supporting and providing access to quality scientific data and information resources to enhance innovation and creativity, administration of research projects and resources.
The council will provide access to facilities for hands-on skills development in the areas of science, technology, engineering, research as well as incubation and business skills development.
The council will support the publication of science, technology and innovation outputs, information management, communication and outreach.
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