Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, DVC, Academic Affairs presides over a meeting with the visting DRUSSA partners.

After a successful expression of interest to participate in Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa (DRUSSA) Programme, the University of Nairobi (UoN) is having a series of meetings with DRUSSA partners visiting the institution.

The meetings with relevant key people including the implementation team drawn from the six colleges in the University, will be an opportunity for the participants to appreciate the role of the DRUSSA Programme. Some of the objectives of the meetings include identifying key issues in the development of research uptake within the institution and 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.

The team will also have a workshop that will look at what needs to be done to strengthen research uptake management, participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation.  The aim of the workshop is to support the university explore options in strengthening processes and systems in strengthening research uptake and plan for change.

UoN is one of the 24 universities selected to participate in the  five-year programme that seeks to assist participating universities’ efforts to ensure that their research and other relevant work reaches and directly impacts on policy and practice in their countries by supporting and strengthening their in-house expertise.

Before the meetings, the team paid a courtesy call to the University in a meeting presided over by Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs. Prof. Lucy Irungu, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Production and Extension and various college principals were in attendance.