The report presented an analysis of Phase II of the data benchmarking study of ARUA universities, focusing on the universities’ research profiles from 2018 -2021. The report also included a bibliometric analysis of the research productivity of ARUA universities.

Professor Gerald Ouma, the lead consultant noted in his presentation that while ARUA universities were still predominantly undergraduate universities, the trends over the seven years showed marked progress across all the metrics observed over the period.

He further noted that ARUA universities over the period played a leading role in advancing scientific knowledge production in Africa although co-authorships among ARUA universities were relatively low.

The report was launched by Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Vice Chancellor, University of Glasgow.

Ms Claudia Frittelli, Program Officer, International Program at Carnegie Corporation of New York in her message expressed excitement at the project’s progress.

The event was attended by over one hundred people in-person and over seventy online. In-person guests included ARUA Vice Chancellors and some Deputy Vice Chancellors, The Guild Vice Chancellors, Data Project Team members, ARUA Staff, the Guild Staff, ARUA CoE Directors at UCT and Stellenbosch, Management of UCT and UCT Vice Chancellor’s guests. Online participants included representatives from PASET-RSIF, icipe, Research Profession News Africa, Education sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA), the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, Taraba State University, Jalingo Nigeria, TU Delft, IEASA, CARTA, CIRAD, IREX, Cirad, UiO, BayFOR, LU, University of Tuebingen.

Workshop for Data Teams hosted by Stellenbosch University

Prior to the launch event, close to 60 Institutional Planning and Research Managers from ARUA member universities came together for a two-and-a-half-day capacity-building workshop hosted by Stellenbosch University from November 1-3, 2022.

The purpose of the workshop was to review the data-gathering exercise at each university with a focus on the lessons learned as well as discuss the data and capacity needs for Phase III of the Data-gathering and Benchmarking Project and how to prepare for them.

Universities Profiles Report

Presentation:

Watch the Launch Event

Photos from the Launch Event