Strengthening the Capacity of Junior Researchers, Faculty and Students Through a Research Communication and Leadership Academy
- Research Project Location: Rwanda
- Timeframe: April 2024 - August 2025
- Funding: USAID
Introduction
The School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) at the University of Rwanda provides high-quality education, research, and community outreach in the field of veterinary medicine in Rwanda. As part of its strategic plan, SVM aims to strengthen its research capacity and enhance its local and international visibility.
There is an urgent need to address professional skills development gaps within SVM. Both academic, research, and student communities at SVM face gaps in communicating research outputs to the wider public and lack leadership skills in areas of research advancement, securing research funding, and effective management of research projects.
Project Goal and Objectives
Establish a Research Communication and Leadership Academy in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Rwanda. The Academy will serve as a hub for capacity development programs on research leadership development and communication for impact.
The objectives of the project are to:
- Foster a culture of interdisciplinary research and collaboration by bringing together researchers from different schools and disciplines within the College of Agriculture, Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM) and the University of Rwanda.
- Launch two tracks for capacity development: Research Leadership and Research Communication. Each track will consist of various professional development programs, including workshops, seminars, mentoring, and coaching.
- Enhance research communication skills among junior academic and research staff, and postgraduate students, including writing and presentation skills, using social media for research impact, and public engagement.
- Develop leadership skills among young researchers to enhance project management, team building, mentorship, and grant writing.
- Enhance the visibility and impact of research conducted at SVM and CAVM.
Research Approach
The project will work with senior administrators to launch the academy, develop its vision, and define its goals and objectives. The academy will solicit feedback on the professional development of junior academic and research staff, and postgraduate students at SVM from external stakeholders such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), Economic Policy Research Network (EPRN), the private sector, and producer associations.
The training manuals and the curricula for the Academy will be developed by selected academic staff and project stakeholders.
In the third phase of the project, 20 participants will be recruited to form two cohorts. Each cohort will go through a series of workshops, online seminars and a quarterly networking event, before graduating from the academy after six months. The aim is to graduate four cohorts: two on the Research Leadership for Development track and two on Research Communication for Impact track by the end of the project.
Principal Investigator (PI) and Lead Institution
Patrick Mugiraneza, University of Rwanda (UR)
Co-Prinicipal Investigators
Charles Ruhimbana, UR
Emmanuel Irimaso, UR
Additional Collaborators
- Economic Policy Research Network Rwanda
Resources
