INTRODUCTION

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Research Excellence Awards Scheme recognises outstanding research contributions that advance knowledge, impact society, and reflect the university’s commitment to scientific leadership. Research is a critical component of the University’s mandate, and these awards aim to highlight the achievements of researchers across all disciplines and support a culture of research excellence at KNUST. This document presents thirteen (13) award categories under four recognition themes. These guidelines outline the criteria used to assess excellence across these award categories and provides detailed guidelines for the eligibility, nomination, evaluation, and selection processes to ensure transparency and fairness are upheld for the scheme.

The Research Excellence Awards Ceremony will be organised as part of the KNUST Research Week where selected awardees will be presented with the awards.

AWARD CATEGORIES

Theme 1: Research Excellence & Impact

• Best Early Career Researcher
• Best Mid-Career Researcher
• Established Researcher Award
• Best Administrative and Professional Staff Research Award
• Research Leadership Award

Theme 2: Research Capacity Support

• Research Capacity Impact Award
• Best Research Support Staff Award

Theme 3: Knowledge Transfer & Innovation

• Best Innovation Award
• Best Transdisciplinary Research Award
• Best Industry Collaboration Award
• Best Community Impact Award

Theme 4: Institutional Research Excellence

• Best Research Centre
• Best Research College

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants must meet the following conditions for all award categories:

• Be a full-time employee of the University in active service
• Should not be the subject of an ongoing investigation, query, suspension, or disciplinary action

CRITERIA FOR AWARDS

The criteria for the thirteen (13) award categories are outlined below.

THEME 1: RESEARCH EXCELLENCE & IMPACT

1. Best Early Career Researcher

Additional Eligibility:

A nominee must have been a member of staff for not more than 5 years and not be above the rank of Lecturer/ Research Fellow or equivalent.

Selection criteria:

• The number of publications in indexed journals
• Citation index (Scopus; h-index; PubMed; Google Scholar)
• The number of publications in KNUST repository
• Grants won in the period under consideration
• Evidence of research dissemination to both academic and non-academic audiences, online visibility, and engagement with end users including conferences, exhibitions, policy briefs, news releases, articles/blogs on mainstream and social media, and interaction with policymakers, practitioners, communities and the media (number of dissemination outputs and engagement activities)
• Evidence of internal and external collaborations (number of collaborations)

2. Best Mid-Career Researcher Additional Eligibility:

A nominee must have been a member of staff for 5-10 years and not be above the rank of Senior Lecturer/Senior Research Fellow or equivalent.

Selection criteria:

• The number of publications in indexed journals
• Citation index in Scopus (h-index)
• The number of publications in KNUST repository
• Grants won in the period under consideration
• Number of PhD and Masters students or Specialists trained
• Evidence of research dissemination to both academic and non-academic audiences, online visibility, and engagement with end users including conferences, exhibitions, policy briefs, news releases, articles/blogs on mainstream and social media, and interaction with policymakers, practitioners, communities and the media (number of dissemination outputs and engagement activities)
• Evidence of internal and external collaborations (number of collaborations)
• Impact of research on local and/or international community and recognition received

3. Established Researcher Award Additional Eligibility:

A nominee must have been a member of staff for more than 15 years and be of professorial rank.

Selection criteria:

• The number of publications in indexed journals, innovations, and/or patented inventions
• Citation index in Scopus (h-index)
• The number of publications in KNUST repository
• Grants won in the period under consideration (number of grants, whether as primary or sub-grantee, and amount won – overall and amount allocated to KNUST)
• Number of PhD students or Specialists trained
• Number of researchers mentored
• Evidence of research dissemination to both academic and non-academic audiences, online visibility, and engagement with end users including conferences, exhibitions, policy briefs, news releases, articles/blogs on mainstream and social media, and interaction with policymakers, practitioners, communities and the media (number of dissemination outputs and engagement activities)
• Evidence of internal and external collaborations (number of collaborations)
• Impact of research on local and/or international community and recognition received

4. Best Administrative and Professional Staff Research Award Additional Eligibility:

A nominee must be an administrative or professional staff of the University including but not limited to staff of the Registrar’s Offices, Finance, Internal Audit, Procurement, University Health Services, UITS, and Development Office.

Selection criteria:

• Conducted research that responds to identified gaps or challenges aimed at producing tailored solutions
• Evidence of internal and external collaborations in conducting research
• Number of research publications including papers, policy briefs, practice manuals, research reports
• Grants won
• Evidence of research dissemination to both academic and non-academic audiences, online visibility, and engagement with end users including conferences, exhibitions, policy briefs, news releases, articles/blogs on mainstream and social media, and interaction with policymakers, practitioners, communities and the media (number of dissemination outputs and engagement activities)

5. Research Leadership Award Selection criteria:

• Contributed to the development of research infrastructure and systems at the University
• The number of publications in indexed journals, innovations, and/or patented inventions
• Grants won for own research and as a mentor for other Principal Investigators
• Evidence of consistent capacity building and mentorship of researchers at various levels (students, early career, mid-career, and established researchers)
• Actively supports mentees’ academic and professional development with evidence of mentees' academic, professional, or research achievements attributable in part to the mentor’s support (e.g., scholarships, publications, awards, successful careers)
• Evidence of building and maintaining an active research team
• Facilitated the development of research projects, collaborations, and grant proposals for other researchers
• Evidence of research dissemination to both academic and non-academic audiences, online visibility, and engagement with end users including conferences, exhibitions, policy briefs, news releases, articles/blogs on mainstream and social media, and interaction with policymakers, practitioners, communities and the media (number of dissemination outputs and engagement activities)
• Evidence of internal and external collaborations (number of collaborations)
• Impact of research on local and/or international community and recognition received

THEME 2: RESEARCH CAPACITY & SUPPORT

6. Research Capacity Impact Award Selection criteria:

• Must be an individual, or Team that has significantly strengthened research capacity at the individual, institutional, or community level
• Evidence of initiative that has strengthened research skills, infrastructure, or systems needed for high-quality and impactful research
• Capacity strengthening efforts that are designed for long-term impact beyond the duration of the project or intervention or the individual’s career
• Evidence of tangible outputs such as trained personnel, new research programs, policies, and outcomes such as improved institutional performance
• Evidence of institutionalization or integration of the capacity strengthening outputs into institutional systems and practices
• Contributed to an enhanced research culture and institutional research reputation of the University

7. Best Research Support Staff Award (three awards) Additional Eligibility:

A nominee must be an administrative, technical or professional staff of the University including but not limited to staff of the Registrar’s Offices, Finance, Internal Audit, Procurement, University Health Services, UITS, Development Office, Estates, Maintenance, and Transport.

• Senior member
• Senior Staff
• Junior Staff

Selection criteria:

• Demonstrates clear and meaningful contribution to research activities including project implementation, administrative support, accounting support, grant management, field work, data collection and analysis, technical support, laboratory work, ethics facilitation, or systems development
• Shows initiative in solving problems, improving processes, creativity and innovation in providing research support services
• Demonstrates strong people skills and collaborative working style with academic researchers, other professional staff and external partners
• Promotes best practices in research support including enhancing efficiency, effectiveness and compliance

THEME 3: KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER & INNOVATION

8. Best Innovation Award Selection criteria:

• Demonstrates a novel approach, breakthrough idea, or unconventional solution to a significant problem
• Shows clear or potential impact on society, industry, policy, or practice
• Development of an innovative output including educational, administrative, and financial management innovations such as tools, systems, processes, or software that provides solution to a practical problem and is ready to be translated into production or use
• Development of a research output with potential for tech transfer and commercialisation through product development, prototyping and business incubation

9. Best Transdisciplinary Research Award Selection criteria:

• Outstanding research that bridges multiple disciplines to solve a complex real-world problem (Multidisciplinary).
• Reflects effective collaboration among researchers from three or more distinct disciplines (Interdisciplinary).
• Demonstrates meaningful integration of theories, methods, or frameworks from multiple disciplines which goes beyond parallel contributions and takes an integrated and synergistic approach
• Pushes boundaries of traditional disciplinary thinking by introducing novel perspectives, approaches, or solutions that would not have emerged from a single discipline

10. Best Industry Collaboration Award Selection criteria:

• Research based on outstanding partnerships between academia and industry leading to impactful outcomes and innovation
• Demonstrates equitable contribution and intellectual exchange between academic and industrial partners
• Involves and benefits students and staff through exposure to industry environments and real-world problem-solving towards building capacity for and promoting industry collaborative approaches
• Produced research outputs that are mutually beneficial for all partners and have broader societal, economic, or environmental impact

11. Best Community Impact Award Selection criteria:

• Research that addresses real, locally relevant issues identified by or with the community
• Reflects co-creation and participatory methods in which community members were meaningfully involved in the entire research process - from planning to implementation and dissemination
• Demonstrates mutually beneficial contribution and intellectual exchange between academic researchers and community members
• Involves and benefits students and staff through exposure to community contexts and real-world problem-solving towards building capacity for and promoting community engagement approaches
• Produced research outputs that are mutually beneficial for all parties involved and have achieved significant community impact

THEME 4: INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

12. Best Research Centre Selection criteria:

• Number of publications in indexed journals
• Amount of grant funds won in the period under consideration (2023/2024; 2024/2025 academic year)
• Number of externally funded projects
• Capacity building evidenced by the number of postgraduate students trained
• Impact/Solutions/Product development that provides solution to a university or national problem

13. Best Research College Selection criteria:

• Number of publications in indexed journals
• Amount of grant funds won in the period under consideration
• Number of externally funded projects
• Capacity building evidenced by the number of postgraduate students trained

SELECTION PROCESS

1. Awardees will be selected using a two-stage selection process
2. Each College/Directorate/Unit will present their best nominee/candidate where applicable per category to a Central Selection Panel.
3. Staff based in Units outside of the Colleges will forward their nominations directly to the Selection Panel.
4. Applications must be submitted by the advertised deadline. Applications can by self- nomination or nomination by another member of staff and completed nomination forms will be submitted via the respective Colleges/Directorate/Units
5. The requirements for an application include:

• Completed electronic application form which requires a statement on how the applicant meets the criteria and is deserving of the award
• Applicant's CV or profile (in the case of Colleges, Centres, and Projects)
• Supporting documents
• References (two from within and/or outside KNUST)

6. The Panel will receive and screen applications to ensure they meet the award criteria.
7. The Panel will select suitable candidates for the awards using a pre-determined scoring system and submit their recommendations to the Vice Chancellor