In line with the vision of the University to become a world-class academic institution, UENR under the auspices of the Centre for Grants and Research Innovation (CeGRI) has unveiled a research agenda and research fund to support research activities across the university. The initiative aims to promote innovative research that will address the challenges facing the energy and natural resources sectors in Ghana and beyond.
The Research Agenda, “Innovation, Smart Technologies, and the Transformation of Energy and Natural Resources for Climate Resilience, Food Security and Sustainable Development”, was launched on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Sheila’s Executive Lodge.
The research fund, on the other hand, is intended to support researchers at UENR in their efforts to generate new knowledge and positively impact society. The fund will provide financial support for research projects, equipment, travel, and training, among other things. It is expected to enhance the research capabilities of the university and to promote collaborations between researchers within the university and with external partners.
Speaking at the launch, the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, on whose vision to advance research activities of the University, set up CeGRI, said that the new research agenda and fund demonstrate the University’s commitment to providing solutions to the challenges facing the energy and natural resources sectors. He added that the initiative would help to build the capacity of researchers at UENR and enable them to contribute to national development. He called for a collaborative effort to achieve the execution of the Agenda.
The Head of CeGRI, Dr. Peter Sanful in his address said the vision of the Centre is to become a strong and efficient support system for planning, coordinating and managing research activities to drive accelerated institutional development. He outlined that the University Research Agenda (URA) is fundamentally relevant to all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPSEDP), which serves as a medium-term national development policy framework. Further, he rolled out the administrative and management structures in place for research activities as well as the performance measurement, which includes a target of 1000 publications criteria for the Times Higher Education World ranking and increased citations per faculty.
The launch was attended by representatives from the government, industry, and academia. In his remarks, the Director in Charge of Tertiary Education, Dr. Yayra Dzakadzie who represented the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, commended UENR for its efforts to promote research and innovation in the energy sector. He pledged the government’s support for the university’s research agenda and fund.
Launching the new research agenda and fund is a significant milestone for UENR and Ghana’s energy and natural resources sectors. It is expected to provide a platform for researchers to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing the sectors and to contribute to national development. The Research Fund is estimated to raise about GH¢500,000 annually with funding from administrative proceeds on research projects of the University as well as donations from internal and external donors.
The various Deans of Schools took turns to present on the Schools’ Research Agenda.
