Dialogue on research equity in Tanzania

On 13-14 March, COSTECH and INASP will bring together stakeholders from across Tanzania’s research and knowledge system to discuss how to enable a more equitable system in order to nurture a wider pool of research talent in support of national development.

Building on recent national dialogue events convened by INASP and local partners in Uganda, Ethiopia and Bangladesh, the meeting, which will be held in Dodoma, will begin by developing a vision for an equitable national research system in Tanzania and agreeing the hoped-for outcomes from the meeting.

The meeting aims to: provide a space for equitable participation between stakeholders in different areas of the research knowledge system; map what is already happening in the national research system; identify gaps and inequities; and identify areas for future work.

Over the course of the two days, participants will hear and discuss issues such as: resources allocation for researchers and institutions within Tanzania; who shapes the national agenda and who can contribute; and whether there an imbalance between basic and applied research. They will consider inequities in international collaborations and how Tanzanian research can be more internationally visible.

The role of research within the wider country context will also be considered, with discussions around who defines standards in research publishing and how researchers can influence policy, as well as mapping stakeholders, decision-makers, enablers and gaps in Tanzania’s national research system.

Issues of gender equity and how to facilitate a conductive, enabling environment for the success of women in higher education and research and development, will be a key focus. This will build on previous work carried out by the University of Dodoma and INASP and complement gender equity discussions from the other two African dialogue events.

The meeting will result in a communique of recommendations to make an equitable research system a national priority; a vision and an action plan for a coherent, responsive research knowledge system that addresses national priorities; and identification of champions who can advance this agenda and carry forward the momentum from the meeting.

For more information, please contact Ms. Neema Tindamanyire neema.tindamanyire@costech.or.tz +255 767 147 047

For discussions and outputs from the event series, follow the #researchequity hashtag on Twitter