CARGF Reflection and Foresight Convening Survey_Research offices

Gathering insights and experiences to inform the Covid-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund (CARGF) Reflection and Convening

Survey for research offices at the grant recipient universities.

PART 1: YOUR UNIVERSITY’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CARGF AND IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Below is a list of broad functions and associated activities that were involved in the implementation of the CARGF. In each section, please indicate whether your university was involved in the CARGF-related functions and activities listed (tick all that apply). For those functions and activities that you have highlighted, please also indicate whether:

Space is provided below each sub-section for you to provide some examples of how the various functions and activities were impacted by the pandemic.

This will enable us to map functions and role-players, identify areas of cooperation, and develop a deeper understanding of the external factors that impact on the initiation and implementation of a funding programme in a global crisis.

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GRANT APPLICATION, SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

	My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Conducting due diligence on fundable projects	My university played a role in this activityConducting due diligence on fundable projects My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityConducting due diligence on fundable projects Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersConducting due diligence on fundable projects Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsConducting due diligence on fundable projects This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
NRF grant recipient contract development, negotiation and finalisation	My university played a role in this activityNRF grant recipient contract development, negotiation and finalisation My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityNRF grant recipient contract development, negotiation and finalisation Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersNRF grant recipient contract development, negotiation and finalisation Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsNRF grant recipient contract development, negotiation and finalisation This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Verification of grant recipient institutional banking details	My university played a role in this activityVerification of grant recipient institutional banking details My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityVerification of grant recipient institutional banking details Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersVerification of grant recipient institutional banking details Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsVerification of grant recipient institutional banking details This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions

If applicable, please provide one or more examples of how the pandemic conditions impacted on your university's ability to carry out these activities

GRANT RELEASES AND FINANCIAL REPORTING

	My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Grant releases from the NRF to grant recipient institutions	My university played a role in this activityGrant releases from the NRF to grant recipient institutions My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityGrant releases from the NRF to grant recipient institutions Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersGrant releases from the NRF to grant recipient institutions Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsGrant releases from the NRF to grant recipient institutions This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Process of grant recipient institutions receiving funds from NRF	My university played a role in this activityProcess of grant recipient institutions receiving funds from NRF My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityProcess of grant recipient institutions receiving funds from NRF Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersProcess of grant recipient institutions receiving funds from NRF Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsProcess of grant recipient institutions receiving funds from NRF This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Process of grant recipient institutions releasing funds to grant recipients	My university played a role in this activityProcess of grant recipient institutions releasing funds to grant recipients My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityProcess of grant recipient institutions releasing funds to grant recipients Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersProcess of grant recipient institutions releasing funds to grant recipients Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsProcess of grant recipient institutions releasing funds to grant recipients This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Preparation and submission of financial reports by grant recipients to the NRF	My university played a role in this activityPreparation and submission of financial reports by grant recipients to the NRF My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityPreparation and submission of financial reports by grant recipients to the NRF Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersPreparation and submission of financial reports by grant recipients to the NRF Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsPreparation and submission of financial reports by grant recipients to the NRF This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions

If applicable, please provide one or more examples of how the pandemic conditions impacted on your university's ability to carry out these activities

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (individual projects)

	My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Team composition	My university played a role in this activityTeam composition My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityTeam composition Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersTeam composition Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsTeam composition This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Managing collaborations	My university played a role in this activityManaging collaborations My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityManaging collaborations Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersManaging collaborations Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsManaging collaborations This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Ethical approval process	My university played a role in this activityEthical approval process My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityEthical approval process Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersEthical approval process Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsEthical approval process This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Carrying out project plan	My university played a role in this activityCarrying out project plan My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityCarrying out project plan Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersCarrying out project plan Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsCarrying out project plan This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Accessing resources / equipment / people etc.	My university played a role in this activityAccessing resources / equipment / people etc. My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityAccessing resources / equipment / people etc. Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersAccessing resources / equipment / people etc. Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsAccessing resources / equipment / people etc. This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Keeping to timelines	My university played a role in this activityKeeping to timelines My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityKeeping to timelines Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersKeeping to timelines Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsKeeping to timelines This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Obtaining necessary support	My university played a role in this activityObtaining necessary support My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityObtaining necessary support Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersObtaining necessary support Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsObtaining necessary support This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Data collection and analysis	My university played a role in this activityData collection and analysis My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityData collection and analysis Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersData collection and analysis Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsData collection and analysis This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Publishing and dissemination	My university played a role in this activityPublishing and dissemination My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityPublishing and dissemination Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersPublishing and dissemination Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsPublishing and dissemination This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Uptake by intended users/beneficiaries	My university played a role in this activityUptake by intended users/beneficiaries My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityUptake by intended users/beneficiaries Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersUptake by intended users/beneficiaries Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsUptake by intended users/beneficiaries This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions

If applicable, please provide one or more examples of how the pandemic conditions impacted on your university's ability to carry out these activities

MONITORING, EVALUATION, LEARNING & COMMUNICATION (Fund and project levels)

	My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Communication and dissemination about the funded projects and their findings	My university played a role in this activityCommunication and dissemination about the funded projects and their findings My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityCommunication and dissemination about the funded projects and their findings Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersCommunication and dissemination about the funded projects and their findings Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsCommunication and dissemination about the funded projects and their findings This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Engagement with NRF regarding monitoring	My university played a role in this activityEngagement with NRF regarding monitoring My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityEngagement with NRF regarding monitoring Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersEngagement with NRF regarding monitoring Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsEngagement with NRF regarding monitoring This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Monitoring for accountability (annual progress reports by grant recipients to NRF)	My university played a role in this activityMonitoring for accountability (annual progress reports by grant recipients to NRF) My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityMonitoring for accountability (annual progress reports by grant recipients to NRF) Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersMonitoring for accountability (annual progress reports by grant recipients to NRF) Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsMonitoring for accountability (annual progress reports by grant recipients to NRF) This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Mid-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report)	My university played a role in this activityMid-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityMid-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersMid-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsMid-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
End-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report)	My university played a role in this activityEnd-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityEnd-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersEnd-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsEnd-term review (site visits, grant recipients’ workshop and report) This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions
Big picture reflections on the initiative	My university played a role in this activityBig picture reflections on the initiative My university played a role in this activity	Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my universityBig picture reflections on the initiative Undertaking this activity required internal coordination within my university	Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholdersBig picture reflections on the initiative Undertaking this activity required cooperation with external stakeholders	This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditionsBig picture reflections on the initiative This activity was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic conditions

If applicable, please provide one or more examples of how the pandemic conditions impacted on your university's ability to carry out these activities

PART 2: LAUNCHING A RAPID, COHERENT, COORDINATED AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND INNOVATIONS

Given the emergency situation presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the CARGF was intended to enable a rapid response by African science systems to the knowledge needs of governments and other stakeholders. In addition to timeliness, a recent (2023) OECD report on an evaluation of international development and humanitarian responses to the Covid-19 pandemic also highlighted coordination (across countries) and coherence (within the same country or institution), flexibility (with regard to implementation partners) and adaptability (adaptive management within a university), and localisation and decentralisation (where appropriate), as key components of effective responses to global crises.

Reflecting on your own university and its role and participation in the CARGF, please complete the questions below.

What was already in place that you were able to draw/build on in order to fulfil your role efficiently and effectively, with a particular focus on the factors that enabled a rapid, coherent (i.e. within your university), coordinated (i.e. with external partners), and flexible/adaptable response? Tick all that apply.

Factors that enabled a rapid response

Other (please specify)

Factors that enabled a coherent response (i.e. within your university)

Other (please specify)

Factors that enabled a coordinated response (i.e. with external partners)

Other (please specify)

Factors that enabled a flexible/adaptable response

Other (please specify)

What aspects of your usual way of working presented challenges or obstacles to your university being able to fulfil its role in the CARGF efficiently and effectively, given the pandemic conditions, with a specific focus on the obstacles to implementing a rapid, coherent, coordinated, and flexible/adaptable response? Tick all that apply.

Factors that were obstacles to a rapid response

Other (please specify)

Factors that were obstacles to a coherent response (i.e. within your university)

Other (please specify)

Factors that were obstacles to a coordinated response (i.e. with external partners)

Other (please specify)

Factors that were obstacles to a flexible/adaptable response

Other (please specify)

Please give examples of some of the obstacles to a rapid, coherent (i.e. within your university), coordinated (i.e. with external partners), and flexible/adaptable response.

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Obstacles to a rapid response

Obstacles to a coordinated response (i.e. with external partners)

Obstacles to a coherent response (i.e. within your university)

Obstacles to a flexible/adaptable response

Please indicate any innovations you introduced in order to adapt to or overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic conditions.

Other, please specify

DETAILS OF UNIVERSITY CONTACT REGARDING THIS SURVEY

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Title & Full name

University

Designation

Email Address

Disclaimer

Please tick here to indicate permission for us to collect and store this contact information for the purposes of this survey.

Gathering insights and experiences to inform the Covid-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund (CARGF) Reflection and Convening

PART 1: YOUR UNIVERSITY’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE CARGF AND IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

PART 2: LAUNCHING A RAPID, COHERENT, COORDINATED AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND INNOVATIONS

Please give examples of some of the obstacles to a rapid, coherent (i.e. within your university), coordinated (i.e. with external partners), and flexible/adaptable response.

DETAILS OF UNIVERSITY CONTACT REGARDING THIS SURVEY

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your inputs and insights are valued