The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has been selected to participate in the International consortium on Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa code named DRUSSA. The Programme involves a bench marking exercise that draws experiences and case studies of twenty-four participating Universities on how to advance and manage the uptake of the various research works that is conducted within the university. The KNUST and University of Ghana, Legon were the only universities in Ghana that were selected to participate in DRUSSA.
Under the Chairmanship of Professor Peter Donkor, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, a meeting was held between Senior Management and the DRUSSA project team. The DRUSSA team comprised of Richard Middleton (ACU), Diana Coates (OSD) and Karrine Sanders (ACU). The meeting addressed concerns on commitment for the DRUSSA programme and the expectations from both parties. Also key issues in the development of research uptake within the University were discussed and ways to support the University make full use of the DRUSSA elements including masters and professional development courses and using the online engagement tools to share good practice and learning.
Professor Peter Donkor expressed his gratitude to the DRUSSA management team for choosing KNUST to benefit from the Research Uptake Implementation. He hoped that this initiative will help the University in areas of research. He said it will be worthwhile if various companies came into the university to request to finance various researches.
A workshop was also held for the KNUST DRUSSA Implementation Team where participants were involved in a series of research uptake procedures.
Research Uptake management is an emerging university management field with a practical, cost-effective and sustainable approach to getting research into use. It requires specialist individual capacity, aligned organizational structures and strategic management processes to optimize conditions for the dissemination, uptake and application of scientific evidence.
DRUSSA is a DFID- funded capacity building programme and it is a five year programme from 2011-2016. It works with 24 Sub-Saharan universities to improve capacity to manage the uptake of research.
DRUSSA provides direct support to universities at individual, institutional and systems levels to improve participation in and impact on policy and practice. The programme has been designed to consolidate and strengthen existing capacity that can be sustained in the long term by the universities themselves. It provides a digital platform, DRUSSA online, to engage with all segments of its audiences, principally located in Sub-Saharan Africa, and also internationally.
