THE INTERNALIZATION OF MOI UNIVERSITY RESEARCH POLICY

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THE INTERNALIZATION OF MOI UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
POLICY

• PRESENTATION DURING RESEARCH WORKSHOPS
• APRIL 28 2006 - CHEPKOILEL CAMPUS
• MAY 3 2006 - TOWN CAMPUS
• MAY 19 2006 - MAIN CAMPUS

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THE PLACE OF RESEARCH IN MOI UNIVERSITY

• Moi University Vision
• The University wants to be recognized nationally
  and internationally as the University of Choice
  in nurturing innovation and talent in science,
  technology and development.

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Moi University Mission

• The University wants to preserve, create and
  disseminate knowledge and conserve and develop
  scientific, technological and cultural heritage
  through quality and relevant teaching and
  research to create a conducive working and
  learning environment and work with government
  and private sector for the betterment of society.

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Moi University Research Mandate

• Article 4c of the Moi University act (1984)
  specifies the major functions of the University
  as the development and transmission of knowledge
  and skills through research.
• Pursuant to the Act, statute 12e of Moi
  University empowers the Council to promote and
  to make financial provisions and facilities for
  research within the university.

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THE NEED FOR UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
POLICY

• The need for a dynamic University Research Policy
  arose from a number of factors
• the diminishing resources for research at the
  University and national level (MU khs 100,000
  per school and GoK 0.3 of GDP),
• significant changes in the policies of major
  funding agencies both in government and private
  sector, (i.e. less emphasis particularly in basic
  research)

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• stiff competition for staff seeking research
  funds and lack of guidance on other opportunities
  
• Lack of clear-cut policy on research and
  consultancy
• Lack of University Research Policy at the time.

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• The policy will address this through entrenching
  a research culture at the University by
• Ensuring a significant annual allocation of funds
  to the University Research Budget
• Deliberate moves to motivate researchers at the
  University to seek additional external funding
• Deliberate efforts to attract substantial
  external funds from donors (private sectors and
  donor agencies) to the University
• Promoting a conducive environment for
  collaboration in research for both national and
  international research partnerships.

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The Moi University Research policy provides that
Council will establish a University Research Fund
(URF) and will ensure that significant amount of
funds is set aside annually for research
activities.
THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUND (URF)
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SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR (URF)

• The Vice Chancellor shall set aside a minimum of
  5 from tuition funds (being its annual
  allocation less recurrent expenditure), and other
  earnings to Research and Development
• Research grants from chairs to be set up by
  schools
• The University council shall establish a Research
  Endowment Fund.

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ALLOCATIONS OF URF 70 of URF shall be given
out as Annual Research Grants (ARG) to all
schools. 20 shall be spent on the development
of critical capital Equipment.10 shall be
allocated for Research Extension Fund.
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APPORTIONMENT OF ANNUAL RESEARCH GRANTS (ARG)

• The ARG will cover the following
• Funding Competitive Research and/or Project
  Proposals
• Training of Junior Researchers to be able to
  participate in competitive research through
  workshops and seminars
• Awards for excellent publications and innovations
• Conference attendance
• Moi University Annual Research Conference
• Financing of Moi University Refereed Journal(s)

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BROAD PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FUND
(URF)

• For purposes of disbursement of funds under URF,
  the following principles will apply
• The need to support original, strategic, basic,
  applied and productive research.
• The provision of internal research budget in
  terms of its potential to leverage external
  funding for university research.
• The development of strategic research foci and
  centers of excellence.

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• The need to support and develop postgraduate
  students and academic staff at the beginning of
  their research careers.
• Multidisciplinary in problem solving through
  research partnerships internally between
  faculties/departments or with external partners.
• Rewarding publication and demonstrated research
  excellence to motivate staff.
• Capacity building for the University

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ATTRACTING EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDS

• The University shall recognize efforts in
  generating research grants from external funding
  sources (private sector/donor agencies). Requests
  for seed money for purposes of attracting
  external funds will be considered.

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MATCHING RESEARCH FUNDSWhere University
contribution will be required as a condition for
funding, RCS shall consider such applications.
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THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION COSTS

• Moi University shall normally levy a minimum of
  10 of all research grant awards, unless in
  exceptional cases, for general administration
  costs by Research committees. This will cover
  expenditures including sitting allowance for RCS
  and the Faculty Research Committees (FRC),
  supervision, referring and running of research
  offices.

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FUNDING BALANCE BETWEEN APPLIED AND BASIC RESEARCH

• It is recognized that a structural tension exists
  between the need to support basic research and
  the need to leverage external funding which is
  often most easily available for applied and
  product-related research. Both are
  indispensable, and the University shall find ways
  of addressing such issues.
• The University shall provide funding for key
  strategic research projects with potential to
  generate patentable intellectual property.

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DEVELOPING CENTERS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

• The University shall optimize its resources by
  identifying the research foci and developing
  these as clusters or centers of academic
  research excellence.
• An appropriate process of profiling such centers
  will consider existing research strengths of the
  University as well as regional and national
  needs.
• The RCS will identify such centers of excellence
  within the Schools and recommend to senate.

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CO-ORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF RESEARCH

• The office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research
  and Extension will be the focal point for
  coordination of all research in the University
• The University Research Committee of Senate (RCS)
  
• The School Research Committee (SRC)
• Administration of Research Grants
• Declaration by the Researcher
• Research and Extension Resource Center

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OTHER MATTERS IN THE POLICY

• Research findings and Intellectual Property
  Rights
• Misconduct in research
• University private sector / industry funding
• Equipment purchased using external research funds
• Ethical considerations.

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CONCLUSIONS

• Research Policy under implementation is ready for
  review Research
  sustainability critical
• Training and retention of researchers key
• Collaborations with National Res. Institutes
• Strong University (school) Industry link
• Focus on Indigenous and National research
• Regional and International collaborations