By Yasiri J. Kasango
Uganda Christian University (UCU), has excelled in teaching and learning in the South of the Saharan Africa. However, the university’s management has noted that the university is not doing well in regard to the field of research.
For this reason, the directorate of research, partnerships, and innovation organized a three-day workshop on research strategic planning. They invited Gerald Den Ouden, a trainer and consultant in research and strategic planning.
Ouden told the deans to be critical while coming up with the research plans. “You should be able to smell your strategy by just reading it,” he said.
The Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Kitayambwa, who officially opened the workshop, encouraged the directors, deans, and heads of department to strengthen the research field. This is because research is the core of the university.
“A good university exists because of research. It is one of our core values. We should impact our communities around us,have lasting communities around us through our research and innovation, “said Kitayimbwa
He added that the university administration has a strategy to improve its research. It is on course to achieve this goal through a new directorate of research, partnership, and innovation.
Prof. Kitayimbwa stated that the university’s strategic goal is for the directorate to grow into a full-fledged division led by a deputy vice-chancellor.
University research is done under departments, faculties, or schools and that is why the directorate of research, partnership, hence a three-day workshop at the ICMI building. Its goal was to assist various schools and faculties in determining the direction of their unity and developing a strategic research plan.
“We realized that we have an appreciation for research as a leader and they propel its development from the grassroots because you can only be as strong as your roots,” said Elizabeth Kiziito.
In addition, she also noted that UCU is not doing well when it comes to research. Therefore, the directorate has to go to the grassroots by engaging schools and faculties to come up with a clear research plan.
“It will become easier for the directorate to facilitate a role in resource mobilization, research grant management, in seeking partnerships and collaboration because the directorate is a one-stop center,” added Kizito Elizabeth.
A university has a mandate to teach, research, and get involved in community engagement. The university is looking at getting a cutting edge in research such that they can improve on their ranking in the country and internationally.
The deans and their teams have been implored to discover their competitive advantage in the research area. They concluded the workshop by signing a research strategic plan road map.
