Weekly Highlights from INASP – 7 April 2016

Quote

“The purpose of research evidence in development planning is to use the best evidence available to make development planning decisions. Most of the best evidence stems from research. But evidence-based development planning goes beyond research use and includes development expertise as well as target population’s preferences and values.”

Charles Sakyi, Executive Director, CEDEP at Policy Dialogue series, Kumasi, Ghana, 31 March, 2016

Updates

• The latest AuthorAID online research-writing course, which started on 1 April, has over 3000 registered participants, and includes over 30 academics who are refugees.
• Andy Nobes attended the ISMTE Asia Conference in Singapore. On 4 April, Andy and Vasanthi Thevanesam from the Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases presented results of an INASP open-access survey as part of a panel discussion called: Open Access: Navigating the Changing Landscape. The presentation was well received; several participants noted on Twitter that is was one of their favourite presentations of the conference.
• 26 Cameroonian researchers have completed an online research-writing course on an AuthorAID grant recipient’s MoodleCloud site.
• GINKS held a VakaYiko Policy Dialogue in Kumasi, Ghana on 31 March, 2016.
• INASP has published several new Learning, Reflections and Innovation articles:
  • Working towards a strong research and knowledge system in Sierra Leone
  • INASP pilot helps African universities enhance postgraduate librarian courses
  • Building communications capacity of Journals Online in-country teams
  • INASP and NRENs work together to strengthen campus IT networks
  • INASP’s face-to-face training evolution

Upcoming events

• INASP staff, associates and consultants from around the world met in Oxford this week. On 4 April participants discussed INASP’s strategy and shared updates on INASP work. This was followed, on 5-8 April, by a Training of Trainers course.
• Following the Training of Trainers workshop in Oxford, VakaYiko Consortium partners GINKS and ZeipNET are in London on 11-14 April for political sightseeing and meetings with INASP’s EIPM team.
• Clara Richards, Emily Hayter, Faaria Hussain, Annie Zaman along with the VakaYiko partners attended ‘What works for research uptake’ event at the Wellcome Trust on 12 April 2016.
• Anne Powell and Mai Skovgaard attended this year’s UKSG conference on the 11–13 April and Anne presented on 12 April.

Recent publications

• Country profile: Liberia – INASP reports, 4 April, 2016
• Country profile: Somali regions – INASP reports, 3 April, 2016
• Country profile: South Sudan – INASP reports, 3 April, 2016
• Working towards a strong research and knowledge system in Sierra Leone – Learning, Reflections and Innovation @ INASP, 3 April, 2016
  Strengthening the foundation for research requires holistic approach.
• INASP pilot helps African universities enhance postgraduate librarian courses – Learning, Reflections and Innovation @ INASP, 2 April, 2016
  Project recognizes key role of librarians in access and use of information.
• Building communications capacity of Journals Online in-country teams – Learning, Reflections and Innovation @ INASP, 31 March, 2016
  INASP support integrated into management handover process.
• INASP and NRENs work together to strengthen campus IT networks – Learning, Reflections and Innovation @ INASP, 31 March, 2016
  Interim reports indicate successful evolution of pilot project.
• INASP’s face-to-face training evolution – Learning, Reflections and Innovation @ INASP, 31 March, 2016
  This article reflects on the changes INASP has implemented in designing, delivering, monitoring and evaluating training approaches over the last 10 years.
• Strengthening Indigenous Academic and Digital Publishing in Tanzania – INASP evaluation report, 30 March, 2016
  Evaluation: Strengthening Indigenous Academic and Digital Publishing in Tanzania Final Report, February 2016.
• INASP’s open-access survey results shared in at ISMTE Asia Conference – INASP News, 6 April, 2016
  Programme Officer Andy Nobes attended the ISMTE Asia Conference in Singapore on 4-5 April and presented on a panel discussion called: Open Access: Navigating the Changing Landscape on 4 April 2016.
• INASP partners from around the world meet in Oxford – INASP news, 4 April, 2016
  INASP staff, partners and associates from around the world are meeting in Oxford this week to think about our approaches to capacity building and how INASP can continue to build on its strong track record of supporting the production, sharing and use of research knowledge in the South.
• Ethics in Scientific Imaging: Highlights of a Lecture – AuthorAID, 3 April, 2016
  Showing the true picture.
• Tip of the Week #279 – AuthorAID, 30 March, 2016
  Be timely.

External coverage

• A policy dialogue for development professional in Achanti – GHANA government news, 5 April, 2016
• Ghana GINKS organises policy dialogue for development professionals – AllAfrica.com, 3 April, 2016
• Openness is good but not simple– Politics & Ideas, 30 March, 2016