BUILDING SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

1. BUILDING SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS Presentation to CEES RESEARCH GRANT WRITING TRAINING WORKSHOP Monday August 2019 Dr. Richard Edema - Director Markerere Regional Centre For Crop Improvement (MaRCCI) www.marcci.org

2. If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ~African Proverb Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable ~African Proverb

3. How can you make the most of partnerships? • Why partnerships are important • Identifying appropriate partners for your own work • How to build successful partnerships

4. Why are partnerships important? • Not a one-way process • - mutual benefits for all involved • To enrich Research • - can help develop knowledge and uncover new areas to explore • - enhance innovation in research and • - connects academics to key issues beyond the university • Very hard to deliver impact single-handed/alone

5. Why are partners important? • Partners can: • Apply your research directly • Bring it to a wider audience • Exert greater influence

6. Identifying the right partners: Why do you want to partner? • Research benefits: • External perspectives • New data, resources, audiences, equipment & expertise • Real world testing • Funding • Personal benefits: • New, transferrable skills and experience • Networking and job opportunities • Satisfaction of making a genuine difference • Profile and reputation

7. Identifying the right partners • What are your goals? • Who to achieve it with/through? • Who to engage with? • How best to engage these partners? • Co-producing plans and futures?

8. Identifying the right partners • The type of impact(s) you identify for your research will affect decisions you make when thinking about building partnerships. • Policy design and/or implementation • Public understanding/attitudes/ debate • Economic prosperity • Civil society • Cultural life • Health and wellbeing • Other…?

9. Identifying the right partners: Why would they want to partner? • Enhance their offering (products, services, information, policies…) • Help people • Become more efficient or effective • Stay relevant/cutting edge • Make/save money out of it

10. Making the initial contact Put yourself in their shoes: what do you think are the boxes you need to tick in that first contact?

11. Making the initial contact • Why is your research relevant to them? • How can you present it to clearly demonstrate this relevance? • When is the best time to approach them? • What are the best channels to approach them? • What are their specific constraints or characteristics? • What about the potential partners that you don’t know about?

12. Building successful partnerships • Listen to your partner’s needs • Articulate your own needs clearly • Find the common ground. • Create a win/win • Make sure you have a common understanding of aims, resources, roles, obligations, ………. • Take the time you need to build up trust • If it doesn’t feel right, walk away – nicely!

13. Why think about impact and partnerships now? • Impact and relationships take time to build • Future career trajectories • It’s never too early to start thinking about this! • Shaping your research ideas • Improving your knowledge • Identifying what’s important to your beneficiaries/end users • Relevant policies/legislation/practice

14. How can you develop your own impact plan? • What will help you in your research? • How can you make an original contribution? • What ‘difference’ can you make (be realistic!)? • Impact costs money! • Time and other pressures

15. Best Practices in Building Partnerships • Communication • Governance structures • Stakeholder involvement • Training opportunities

16. Communication • Ensure effective communication with all interested parties (e.g., researchers, partners, general public) • Ongoing liaison with stakeholders • Full-time project co-ordinator or facilitator • Works for the partnership project • Point of contact for stakeholders • Circulates newsletters and email updates • Development of common tools for information sharing with stakeholders as well as with greater audiences • Websites, web portals, etc. • Social networking sites • Facebook, whatsApp, Twitter, Second Life

17. Governance Structures • Provide a clear, well-developed governance structure (e.g. steering committee, sub-committees, working groups) • Use a decision-making process that incorporates all stakeholders • Ensuring the active participation of all stakeholders at the table • Ensure conflict resolution mechanisms are in place • Managing competing interests and priorities in the partnership • Develop performance evaluation frameworks in collaboration with stakeholders • Ensuring that the deliverables and activities are carried out according to schedule

18. Stakeholder Involvement • Ensure the active participation of all stakeholders over the course of the project • Define roles and responsibilities for all partners at the start • Establish common goals and priorities in consultation with stakeholders • Delegate tasks according to capacity and expertise • Share resources equitably, and ensure a reasonable “buy-in” on the project from the partners • Cash or in-kind contributions, including: • Personnel • Access to facilities or facilitating interaction with other organizations/communities • Knowledge mobilization activities

19. Training Opportunities • Ensure the meaningful involvement of students • Working with partnering organizations • Hands-on skills • Ensure capacity-building and learning, not only for students, but all involved in the project, by: • Integrating partnering organizations into project plans • For example, training personnel from partnering organizations to conduct interviews, organize events, present at conferences, etc. • Fostering the exchange of knowledge and expertise between all the stakeholders of the project

20. Helpful Hints: (1) • Develop plans to ensure the sustainability of the partnership beyond the tenure of the grant • Set realistic, attainable goals • Validate objectives and plans with the stakeholders even in the development phases • Ensure that the project has the necessary stakeholders on board to successfully achieve its goals • Number of partners: quality over quantity

21. Helpful Hints: (1) • Continue to recruit new partners over the course of the project • Identify potential interested partners through networking opportunities, including: • External events • Contacts in the field • Existing projects and partnerships • Social networking

22. Some Helpful Documents • A formalized partnership document such as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) • Letters of engagement that clearly outline the partner’s commitments, both financial and in-kind • Tips for partner letters: • Avoid “template” letters • Ensure that all letters are personalized and demonstrate a knowledge of the project • Address the letters to the principal investigator/project director and refer to the project title • An assessment or self-assessment mechanism that allows the team to evaluate its activities and the quality of the partnership • A common reporting system

23. Thank you / Merci Email: redema@marcci.org/redema12@yahoo.com Tel.: +256-79 3 529 838

24. MaRCCI’s VisionThe African continent free from hunger, malnutrition, and poverty

25. MaRCCI’s Mission Contribute to a secure and sustainable food supply and income generation for Africa’s future by encouraging the development of improved varieties. MaRCCI’s Motto Excellence and Relevance

27. Background & accomplishments before ACE • Competency based regional PhD & MSc program initiated in 2008 • 127 MSc’s (39% female, 55% regional) and • 57 PhD’s trained (29% female, 60% regional). • All remaining in region in posts using their training, most highly commended in their workplace • PhD graduates have become Deans, Heads of Departments, & Heads of significant research programs • MSc graduates have excelled in international-caliber PhD programs

28. MSc (127) & PhD (58) students in Plant Breeding 2008 - 2017 August 2018 – New Admissions 25 MSc’s 15 PhD’s

29. MaRCCI’s Overall Strategy Provide effective training, research, and outreach that effectively use applied knowledge to train plant breeders who use the most current approachesto rapidly develop and deploy improved crop varietiesthat meet stakeholders needs and preferences across the region.

30. Target Profile of MaRCCI MSc Graduates • Have the scientific and practical skills to manage an effective crop improvement program • Have developed critical thinking skills & creative problem solving skills sufficient to understand and apply continuing developments in crop breeding approaches • Have sufficient academic background to successfully undertake a PhD at a world class institution • Have developed broad and strong linkages with other plant breeders in SSA and beyond • Be strongly motivated to contribute to the agricultural development of their own country and SSA

31. Target Profile of MaRCCI PhD Graduates • Have the scientific and practical skills to initiate and manage an efficient and effective crop improvement program • Have developed critical thinking skills & creative problem solving skills sufficient to develop new methodologies, creative solutions, and innovative research for addressing crop breeding challenges • Be capable of graduate-level teaching of plant breeding and related subjects at a high-standard university • Be able to provide leadership to national, regional and international networks of crop improvement specialists • Be strongly motivated and engaged in contributing to the agricultural policies and development of their own country & SSA

32. Target Profile of MaRCCI PhD Graduates • Have the scientific and practical skills to initiate and manage an efficient and effective crop improvement program • Have developed critical thinking skills & creative problem solving skills sufficient to develop new methodologies, creative solutions, and innovative research for addressing crop breeding challenges • Be capable of graduate-level teaching of plant breeding and related subjects at a high-standard university • Be able to provide leadership to national, regional and international networks of crop improvement specialists • Be strongly motivated and engaged in contributing to the agricultural policies and development of their own country & SSA

33. Objectives of the WB African Centres of Excellence Project

34. “External” governance structure of WB ACE’s

37. Goals for MaRCCI’s Increased Contribution to Enhanced Agricultural Productivity in SSA • 1. Improve the quality of the MSc and PhD programs • 2. Develop “in-house” crop improvement programs that: A. Enhance the MSc and PhD programs B. Strengthen the NARO efforts on crops receiving less attention (eg. Cowpea, Sorghum for now) C. Become a model of a variety development and delivery program using modern best-practices • 3. Provide short courses in-service skill development for practicing plant breeders across the region

38. MaRCCI Institutional Development • Effectiveness reached May 2017. 1st Disbursement - October 2017. • Strong University buy-in, Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor’s, Director of Research & Graduate Training, University Council, Principal of CAES • Advisory Board of World-Class professionals representing a broad range of stakeholders. • Launch event, Advisory Board & Partners Meeting- February 2018

40. MaRCCI’s Diverse & Globally Distinguished Advisory Board

41. MaRCCI Institutional Development Con’t • Partnerships developed with private seed companies, regional and global centers of research and education (several MOUs completed or in progress) • Workplans, progress reports, financial reports being submitted on time • Scientific/instructional/administrative team assembled. Scientists: 2 premier young scientists full time, 2 others part-time, plus senior scientist, instructor, administrator (Dr. A. Chiteka on Sabbatical from Africa Univ., Zimbabwe)

42. MaRCCI’s Strategy – Crop Improvement Research Cowpea and sorghum variety development and delivery, in cooperation with NaSARRI (Uganda), in order to: • Strengthen the national effort on important crops that need more research attention, leading to variety releases jointly with NARO • Enhance the graduate training • Serve as model programs using modern breeding tools • Genomics and bioinformatics • Digital data collection & management, including GPS and digital imaging • Advanced data analytics and information systems • Local and global crop databases for information storage and retrieval • Optimization of breeding piplelines

43. MaRCCI – NARO CooperationJoint Research Joint Supervision of Students Joint Publications Guest lectureships also expected

44. MaRCCI Student & Program Field Evaluation Sites Commenced research on 2 Stable crops in Uganda; Cowpea and Sorghum 11 Locations, 2 Seasons/Yr 60 Cowpea and Sorghum Trials -- 5000 plots/season – monitored weekly MUARIK

45. Enhancements of Teaching/Research Capabilities of MaRCCI Other new facilities & infrastructure at MUARIK Improvement of research fields, including irrigation Equipping of seed testing & plant diagnostic labs Seed handling & seed storage bldg. Several housing units

46. MaRCCI’s Strategy – Service to the seed industry & others • Plant disease diagnostics • Biotechnology services (DNA extraction, basic molecular marker services, real-time PCR, ELISA, pathogen & pest identification) • Bioinformatics (QTL mapping, marker & genomic assisted breeding) • Digital data collection, compiling, analysis, and archiving -- Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) and Breeding Management System (BMS) (MaRCCI co-hosts with NaCRRI the regional support person for IBP/BMS, MaRCCI students help drive BMS adoption) A Growing list…….

47. MaRCCI’s Strategy – Service: In-Service Training In-service training (mainly via short courses) • Breeding program modernization: Strategy, breeding program and pipeline optimization & management • E-data collection & information management (Tablet apps, BMS) • Data Quality Improvement, Statistical Analysis of varietal comparison experiments • Plant disease diagnostics • Seed production, quality preservation and assessment • Scientific writing • Other stakeholder needs consistent with our mandate.

48. Building a formidable army of Partners - Drafting & signing of MOUs underway • National Research Partners • NaCRRI • NaSARRI • AbiZardi • Regional Univ. & Research Partners • ACCI (Univ. of KwaZulu-Natal) • WACCI (Univ. of Ghana) • KNUST (Kwame Nkruma Univ., Ghana) • UNZA (Univ. of Zambia) • RAB (Rwanda Agricultural Board) • INERA (DRC) • Univ. of Juba & S Sudan Min Ag • Commercial Research Partners • NASECO Seed Co • SEEDCO • International Research Partners • CIAT IITA ICRISAT CIMMYT • IRRI CIP World Vegetable Center • Advanced Research & Training Inst. • Iowa State Univ.-Agron Dept. & Seed Sci Center • North Carolina State Univ • Univ. of California-Riverside • Cornell Univ • Purdue Univ • Kansas State Univ • Michigan State Univ. • Other • AGRA • RUFORUM • IBP/BMS • GREAT Project-Makerere—Gender Responsive Breeding

49. Accomplishments • External funds generated (Next Generation Cassava Breeding, $565,000, AGRA-$1,460,000, IFAD/IBP $70,000, Univ Cardiff £160,000,………continuing) • DLR’s earned (Timely implementation, students, partnerships, external revenue, publications, exchanges, benchmarking) • MaRCCI involved in leadership of 3 Ugandan National Working Groups with NARO & Agricultural Regional Research Centers—cowpea improvement, sorghum improvement, data quality improvement • Infrastructure added & in progress—Refurbishing housing, 2 pick-ups, 30 passenger bus, tractor & implements, classroom & office building, IT/Wi-Fi improvements, screenhouses, seed storage & seed handling building, crib, threshing floor, irrigation, fencing and leveling of land)

50. Exposure • Representation at MOES Education Week • Significant representation at RUFORUM Higher Education Week • Part of organizing committee for the NARO-MAK research conference • Participation in several international agricultural conferences, with presentations and posters