Kigali Health Institute

On 4^th March 2013 the delegation from Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa (DRUSSA), a project initiated by the Association of the Commonwealth Universities met KHI implementing them and discussed on how research activities should be strengthened in KHI.

During this meeting members of the KHI implementing team exchanged ideas on different factors affecting research uptake management such as limited funds allocated to research, lack of a comprehensive policy to govern research activities, commercialization of research activities and poor dissemination of research findings among others.

KHI is among 24 universities in sub Saharan Africa benefitting from this project due to the progress it has made in strengthening its research activities. DRUSSA, which will last for five years aims at supporting universities to contribute to evidence based research in pro-poor policy and practice to make sure that the research they produce gets into use and help countries to prosper.  It is expected that it will spur evidence based use  in the formulation of intervention policies. Besides, it will help the participating universities to get capacity building short courses and skills development through the Master courses to be implemented under the program. It has opened an online and social media forums that are currently helping higher learning institutions to share learning and best practices of research uptake.