Building Sustainable Research Management Capacity in Africa’s Science Granting Councils

Across sub-Saharan Africa, Science Granting Councils (SGCs) play a vital role in funding research and innovation. However, many still face challenges in managing grants and building long-term capacity. To address this, the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), alongside partners like CREST and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), launched a major initiative from 2016 to 2020 to support 15 African SGCs.

Project Goal and Approach

The project aimed to strengthen research management systems sustainably. It focused on:

• Assessing each council’s existing capacity and development needs
• Providing tailored training and professional development
• Encouraging peer learning and collaboration
• Supporting systems like online grant management
• Sharing tools and knowledge resources

Key Activities

1. Capacity Assessment and Planning

• Conducted a baseline survey to identify gaps in research management
• Tailored interventions based on each SGC’s needs

2. Online Training and Professional Development

• Six online courses developed with Wits University
• Topics included:
  • Grant and contract management
  • Research ethics
  • Gender in science
  • Intellectual property and commercialisation
• 67 learners from 13 countries completed the courses

3. Peer Learning and Mentoring

• Organised learning visits to South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF)
• Hosted regional workshops and mentoring sessions
• Facilitated sharing of good practices across SGCs

4. Practical Tools and Resources

• Created a Grants Management Manual
• Developed guidelines for running high-quality research competitions
• Introduced a benchmarking tool to compare council performance

Achievements and Outcomes

• Increased awareness of research management as a profession
• Strengthened technical capacity across SGCs
• Developed professional networks and regional collaboration
• Created a digital hub for sharing documents and learning materials
• Improved internal processes in areas like monitoring and evaluation

Challenges Faced

• Limited sharing of benchmarking data among SGCs
• Few applicants for professional recognition status
• Budget constraints restricted the full implementation of some activities

Lasting Impact

Despite some challenges, the initiative led to lasting improvements:

• Better-trained staff
• Stronger systems for managing research funding
• Practical tools are now widely used across SGCs
• A foundation for continued learning and collaboration

This project marks a significant step forward in supporting Africa’s science and innovation systems through strong and sustainable research management.