Fundamentals of Research Management

Categories: SARIMA COURSES

About Course

Our world faces many challenges. Think of diseases, inequality in our society,  pollution and dwindling resources, food and water security and climate change, just to mention a few. From where will the solutions for these pressing problems come?

Research! Today’s research is tomorrow’s lifesaver.

A significant responsibility lies on the shoulders of researchers. Not only do they have to create a new wave of knowledge, but they are also required to teach the next generation. Pressures from institutions, sponsors and governments increase work stresses, which do not promote creativity.

This is where the research manager/administrator steps in, whose role it is to steward precious research resources to make research more effective. Research management is an eclectic profession made up of diverse functions that synergise in support of research.

Course Information

Structure:

  • Module 1: Importance of research in Africa
  • Module 2: Overview of research management
  • Module 3: Working with (academic) researchers
  • Module 4: Providing leadership in a research environment
  • Module 5: Importance of communication
  • Assignment and Final Exam

Successful completion:

  • Module 1 – 5 material studies with Progress Checks
  • Module 1 – 5 contribution to Discussion Forum (5% of course mark)
  • Course Assignment (35% of course mark)
  • Course Exam (60% of course mark)

Outcomes:

  • To inform prospective research managers and administrators about the roles and responsibilities and thereby equipment them for taking up related positions.
  • To equip existing practitioners with a deeper knowledge of the roles and responsibilities and thereby help them to perform better and, collaterally, to promote the value of the research management profession
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What Will You Learn?

  • Our world faces many challenges. Think of diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB, Ebola and cancer; inequality in our society; pollution and dwindling resources; food and water security; climate change; just to mention a few. From where will the solutions for these pressing problems come? Research! Today’s research is tomorrow’s lifesaver.
  • A significant responsibility lies on the shoulders of researchers. Not only do they have to create a new wave of knowledge, but also they are required to teach the next generation. Pressures from institutions, sponsors and governments increase work stresses, which do not promote creativity. This is where the research manager/administrator steps in, whose role it is to steward precious research resources to make research more effective. Research management is an eclectic profession made up of diverse functions that synergise in support of research.

Course Content

SARIMA ONLINE SHORT COURSE STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  • STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
  • Student Acknowledgement

Introduction

Module 1: Importance of research in Africa
Africa is blessed with abundant resources and remarkable biodiversity. Indeed, it is probably the origin of modern humankind. However, it has a troubled history characterised by political uncertainty, frequent migration, destructive colonialism and dehumanising racism. The continent consists of 54 low to middle-income countries, with largely resource and agricultural-based economies and growing populations with large biases towards the youth. The triple challenge of unemployment, inequality and poverty only magnify other problems. The solutions for these often-unique problems will not come from the USA or China; they will have to come from within Africa. Researchers, ably supported by professional research management, will need to lead us in the 21st century and beyond.

Module 2: Overview of research management
The context Research and innovation and the fresh ideas and solutions that flow from them are needed now more than ever before. It is within this context that research management is emerging as a profession in the African continent. A region which confronts the acute problems of rapid climate change; increasing burdens of communicable and non-communicable diseases; energy, food and water security; rushed urbanisation; increasing poverty, inequality and unemployment; and threats to social cohesion. The Role Welcome to this journey into the workings of research management. We sincerely hope that the ideas presented will inspire you to become an effective research manager/administrator or to stimulate your development to become an even more effective research manager/administrator. Above all else we hope to show you that this profession has a unique contribution to make to the improvement of the quality of life of all those that live in the African continent and beyond.

Module 3: Working with (Academic) researchers
Introduction This module considers 3 important concepts 1. By improving our understanding of what research is, who conducts it and where it is performed, it is clear to see that the environment is an important element in promoting good research. 2. The freedom to pursue research questions of interest, free from disruption, distraction and interference is important. Surprisingly, the world of research also contains risk. Some of these risks are physical, but more commonly arise from intellectual competition, jealousy and criticism. 3. Research is inhomogeneous. There are different types of research, and there are different research subjects. Knowledge of these concepts will help the research manager/administrator be more effective.

Module 4: Providing leadership in a research environment
Introduction Research management and leadership are supportive by nature. They facilitate and nurture researchers and their research across the organisation (Johnson, Williamson, & Drennan, 2018). In this context, the module examines how we can prioritise the use of limited resources to yield the largest impact. The module, therefore, looks at the 80/20 rule and its use. This will lead to a brief discussion on the development of strategy and policy. These discussions could fill an entire course but because time is limited, will only share a few ideas that may be helpful. The module will conclude with some ideas on how a research-focused organisation (be it a granting agency, science council or university) can prepare itself to respond to new research trends. This discussion will begin by asking the question: should a research organisation be an innovator or a late adopter, borrowing terminology from product update theory?

Module 5: Importance of communication
Introduction In this module, we discuss what it means to participate. Let us begin this module by considering a philosophical question. George Berkeley (1883) asked the question, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" To add context to the question, “If I do something wrong and my wife does not know about it, have I done anything wrong?” You may well ask what this has to do with research management. The answer is wrapped up with the communication of research results and outcomes. Is new knowledge real if it is not shared and communicated? Probably yes, but its value will be hugely diminished. This is why researchers publish their results. Even researchers working in innovative spaces patent their results, and this implies full disclosure.

COURSE ASSIGNMENT

Exam

SARIMA Online Short Course Evaluation

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