Strengthening Research In Africa (SRIA)

The Strengthening Research Institutions in Africa (SRIA) programme was designed to invest in interventions to strengthen the wider research system in Africa. The programme aims to develop stronger and more stable research systems which improve access to global research, recruit and retain quality researchers, and develop more equitable research collaboration between northern and southern researchers and institutions, including more equitable science partnerships with the UK. In the long-term, this will enable partner countries to achieve sustainable economic growth in line with UK values of freedom and democracy. The programme also aims to improve the coherence and impact of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) research investment in Africa.

The programme works through the 3 outputs areas:

• Delivery of a range of research system strengthening projects in FCDO priority countries in Africa, via a fund manager.

• Strategic Fund to support existing research system strengthening initiatives in Africa.

• Support to coherence of ODA funded research in SRIA priority countries.

Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science in Africa (DELTAS Africa Implemented by the Science for Africa (SFA) Foundation. DELTAS Africa is a research leadership capacity-building programme integrating a major component of multidisciplinary social and climate sciences to solve some of Africa’s major developmental challenges through generating state-of-the-art data, and policy recommendations while building a critical mass of globally competitive research leaders over a long-time horizon. The DELTAS Africa II programme funds 14 consortia based in 9 African countries with broader partnerships across 29 countries on the continent.

The DELTAS Africa initiative, through the Africa Research Management Capacity Strengthening (REMACS) Programme and Public Engagement with Science (PES), has significantly contributed to strengthening research and innovation systems in Africa. The REMACS Programme has focused on developing and implementing Good Research Management Practices (GRMP) and Good Financial Grant Practices (GFGP), aimed at improving governance, transparency, and efficiency within African research institutions. Several technical committee meetings with the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO) have led to the approval of a Committee Draft GRMP standard for public inquiry. Additionally, key institutions have been supported through the Partner Organizational Effectiveness Programme to enhance grant management capacity. The programme has also developed digital self-assessment tools and training guides to facilitate effective adoption of these standards.

The PES programme has expanded engagement between research institutions and communities. The launch of the DELTAS Africa II Community Engagement (CE) grant supported 16 projects, emphasizing societal impact, particularly in mental health. The programme also developed a structured PES Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework and an open-source e-learning platform in collaboration with Wellcome to improve the collection of high-quality engagement data. Furthermore, the PES initiative has strengthened international collaboration by engaging with global research networks and policymakers to integrate community engagement models into broader research frameworks.