Transforming Research into Policy - DRUSSA INITIATIVES

Transforming Research into Policy

Research Uptake intitiatives in Rodrigues

Research Uptake (RU) does not refer simply to the one-way process of communicating research findings to potential end-users. •It involves effective communication much further upstream – right from understanding end-user needs in the initial stages of project design, and in some cases even involving them in the research design, project implementation and adoption of research results. It describes the entire process of doing research that has outcomes that have impact on the lives of people.

An Example of a Relevant Initiative - Development Research Uptake in SubSaharan African Universities (DRUSSA).

DRUSSA Project is based on 3 premises :

•Skills needed to implement research findings are different to the skills required to do the research, so the researcher may not be the best person for this task. It is better addressed institutionally, through the development of a Research Uptake Management scheme in the institution.
•Research uptake can take a lot of time and money, hence often is not part of the research project itself, and should be tackled at institutional level through a separate office/unit with its own staff and budget.
•Researchers need to be incentivised to continue with the uptake process after the research part is completed.


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