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Intellectual Property Rights Management Underpinning Successful International Collaboration

Posted on by RSIF PASET

As countries seek new ways to strengthen their economies including through diversification, the need for increased local, regional and global collaborations in scientific research, technological development and innovation has become evident. However, lack of human capacity remains a challenge.

Building skills for increasing locally relevant knowledge production is one of the aims that African governments together with development partners, have committed to support through the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET). The program approach relies on building strong regional and global research networks involving the private sector.

“Intellectual property (IP) management underpins the success of any of these collaborations”, says Dr. Segenet Kelemu, Director General and CEO of icipe, the Regional Coordination Unit of RSIF.

It is, therefore, imperative to have guidelines for IP frameworks that safeguard the interests of parties as they engage in collaborative research and innovation activities.

New RSIF IP Manual

The newly published Intellectual Property Management Manual provides guidance on IP Rights (IPR) provisions applicable in the RSIF program.

“Proper management of IP facilitates the use and dissemination of results emanating from RSIF interventions in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), which is a key objective of PASET”, says Dr. Moses Osiru, RSIF-RCU Manager.

Scientists and all partners in a scientific research or innovation collaboration project should therefore consider protection of IPR and related issues early on when developing joint activities.

The Manual has been prepared through intensive consultations with partners involved in RSIF research and innovation activities, including faculty at African Host Universities (AHUs) and International Partner Institutions (IPIs) as well as RSIF Scholars and other relevant third parties. The guidelines also benefits from lessons from the BioInnovate Africa program at icipe.

Document Outline

The manual provides guidance on key issues including ownership of background and foreground IP, protection, dissemination and use of foreground IP, patent applications, publications, access rights and commercialization of IP generated from collaborative research and innovation activities.

The Manual should be used as reference in conjunction with relevant institutional policies of the collaborating partners as well as related project or partnership agreements.

 

Download the Manual

English version

French version

Celebrating #WomenInScience and our first 30 female RSIF PhD Students

Posted on by RSIF PASET

Addressing imbalances in the number of women and disadvantaged groups in applied sciences, engineering and technology fields in Africa – This is one of the targets of the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund of PASET.  This is critical for RSIF, whose objectives include creating a stock of highly trained men and women scientists, professionals, and innovators, nurturing talent, and building research and innovation capacities in African universities.

Diverse perspectives are important to scientific advancement.  Yet, as in other regions, women’s participation drops progressively moving up the education and career ladder. Currently women constitute around 30% of Africa’s researchers.

As we mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11th February, we have reason to celebrate our first 30 female RSIF PhD students. These scientists represent the diverse pool of talented women from across the African continent who will go back to teach and undertake high-quality research and innovation at their home universities.

The African government-led Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) focus on Climate change, Energy including renewables, Food security and agribusiness, ICT, including data science and artificial intelligence, and Minerals, mining and materials science.

The number of female RSIF PhD students is expected to triple in the year ahead as new students are recruited, with priority to qualified women and young faculty without PhD.

African Talent and Gender Equality in Science

“Africa is not deprived of talent. There are a lot of bright people. But that support infrastructure needs to be created there for these people to really meet their full potential”, explains Dr. Segenet Kelemu, Director General of icipe, the RSIF Regional Coordination Unit.

RSIF will address this through strengthening the institutional capacity for quality and sustainable doctoral training, research and innovation in transformative technologies in sub-Saharan Africa.

A newly published paper, ‘Making it to the PhD: Gender and Student Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa’,  examines the association between gender and PhD performance in sub-Saharan Africa.

Using new survey data collected from 227 alumni of PhD programs in 17 African countries as part of the 2020 RSIF gender research study, it elucidates gender-based differences in PhD performance.

Findings suggest that having a female supervisor, attending an institution with gender policies in place, and pursuing the PhD in a department where sexual harassment by faculty was perceived as uncommon were enabling factors for women’s timely completion of their doctoral studies.

This RSIF gender study has informed RSIF’s gender strategy and is also adding to the global body of knowledge on how to break the barriers for women in science.

Impact of Covid-19

When Covid restrictions came into force in 2020, RSIF cohort I students were in Korea and the USA on their sandwich programme at RSIF advanced international partner institutions.

The pandemic brought additional challenges and affected men and women in different ways, as day care for children, labs and universities closed. We expect that the pandemic may affect women disproportionately and are studying its impacts on the RSIF program.

Three female RSIF PhD students share their experiences of studying abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic. This essay shows how Covid-19 impacted on their studies and research progression and also their resilience.

RSIF Cohort II students recruited in 2020 had their orientation online and were forced to start their PhD studies from a distance due to Covid-19.

Read on below and watch brief video profiles of five of them expressing their excitement and hopes for the future and what the opportunity of an RSIF doctoral scholarship and support network means to them:

Dreams and stories of female RSIF PhD scholars

  1. Meet Barbara Kabwigia Asingwire. An RSIF PhD student at University of Rwanda, Africa Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT)

“My dream is to become a great researcher, problem solver and innovator,” says Barbara Kabwigia Asingwire. “My research is on use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve health care services; minimizing delays in response to time-sensitive conditions”.

“I believe RSIF will help me by availing me with a platform to interact with a number of people at an international scene and discover how to use IoT to improve the quality of life”.

According to the United Nations, only 26% of AI and data professionals globally are women. PASET has selected AI and Data Science as a priority thematic area for RSIF doctoral training and capacity building.

  1. Meet Fenet Belay Daba. An RSIF PhD student at Bayero University, Nigeria, Africa Centre of Excellence in Dryland Agriculture (CDA)

“Through my RSIF PhD research, I will be a problem solver for my country, serve the community and use this knowledge to teach students, because I am a lecturer at Jimma University”, says Fenet Belay Daba from Ethiopia. Her research is on climate change adaptation strategies.

  1. Meet Grace Gachara. An RSIF PhD student at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

“I am really passionate about using science to solve problems”, says RSIF PhD student Grace Gachara. “My research is on the maize problem of aflatoxin and post-harvest issues that affect millions and millions of farmers. It is a really big deal in our country Kenya”.

“I want to believe that the RSIF scholarship positions people for greatness and open doors to connect with other platforms and communities.  Teaching at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, I would also mould other students to get greater in their respective areas of research”.

  1. Meet Jacinta Okwako. An RSIF PhD student at University of Nairobi, Kenya

University lecturer Jacinta Okwako’s background is in physics and energy policy. “My biggest dream is an Africa that has a 100% energy access rate. We need to improve this to grow our economy”, she says.

“Thanks to RSIF resources, capacity building and networking, my hope is to end up becoming the renown researcher I always wanted to be, and also to be able to lecture and guide my students to come up with new ideas in the field of energy. By doing this we all grow together!”

  1. Meet Kay Nyaboe Nyakundi. An RSIF PhD student at University of Nairobi, Kenya

“I would like to reach out to my fellow women and say – Don’t be scared to move on with your studies!” says energy engineer and RSIF PhD student Kay Nyaboe Nyakundi. “We have an opportunity to nurture the young people to join us and offer solutions that are African-based for African problems.”

Explore more of our content on #WomeninScience:

Photo caption: “As a woman, I want to achieve my goal and show the nation that we are able”, says RSIF PhD scholar Pauline Munganyinka from Rwanda.

References:

For more information: https://www.rsif-paset.org/

Fisher M, Nyabaro V, Mendum R, Osiru M (2020) Making it to the PhD: Gender and student performance in sub-Saharan Africa. PLoS ONE 15(12): e0241915. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0241915
The paper examines the association between gender and PhD performance in sub-Saharan Africa; it uses new survey data collected as part of the 2020 RSIF gender research study.

The ADVANCE Journal – Covid-19 Special Issue, focusing on how the pandemic is affecting women in higher education. Also featuring experiences of three RSIF scholars on studying abroad during the pandemic

icipe led consortium wins funding to “unlock” the transformative potential of digital technologies

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

icipe, the Regional Coordination Unit for the Regional Scholarships and Innovation Fund has been selected by the European Union financed ACP Innovation Fund for “Accelerating inclusive green growth through agri-based digital innovations in Western Africa”. Partners are Agropolis Foundation, Gearbox Pan African Network and University Abomey-Calavi. At least Euro 2,730,000 will be sub-awarded to eligible West African entities through competitive calls for proposals. Grantees will also benefit from transfer of skills, know-how and experience.

Unlocking the Transformative Potential of Digital Technologies
Digitizing agriculture is an opportunity to transform agriculture and boost employment for youth entering the labour market. There is need for coordinated efforts of public and private sector actors to unlock the potential of digital technologies, including big data analytics and machine learning, block chain, robotics and drones.
“A food systems approach, which looks at various segments of food production and consumption, coupled with application of transformative digital innovations, is a an important way to address the multiple challenges of poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, in a growing world population while reducing negative externalities on the environment and human health”, says Dr. Moses Osiru, RSIF manager, icipe.
The initiative will strengthen the innovation system for agri-based digital technologies as part of the broader Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACP) strategy to nurture an inclusive environment that is conducive for research and innovation in its member countries in order to  unlock inclusive innovation potential and support their transition into knowledge-based economies for sustainable development and poverty reduction. At the end of the Action, more women and youth should be using agri-based digital technologies to improve their farming practices or businesses (markets for agro-produce and other value-added products) in an environmentally sustainable manner.  To achieve this, the Action will strive for, 1) increased uptake of agri-based digital technologies by farmers and SMEs, especially women and youth; 2) stronger linkages between research communities, industry and policy actors; and (3) a policy environment conducive for scaling agri-business digital innovations in Western Africa.

Competitive Grants Scheme
Universities, research institutes, small and medium enterprises that are legally incorporated, farmer cooperatives, government ministries, departments and agencies responsible for ICTs or science, technology and innovation, CBOs and related groups in the ACP countries in West Africa are eligible to apply for the grants under this Action.
At least 12 grants each of minimum EUR 150,000 and maximum EUR 300,000 will be competitively awarded to eligible organizations in West Africa. The total amount to be awarded in grants will be EUR 2,730,000. Two rounds of Calls for proposals will be made under three inter-linked categories to enhance multi-stakeholder engagement and learning. The first call for proposals is expected to be released by icipe in the first quarter of 2021.

  • Category 1 grants for co-development and adaptation of innovative digital solutions for agricultural productivity enhancement (min. EUR 150,000 and max. EUR 300,000 per project). This grant will target academic and research institutions to co-develop and adapt digital technologies with end users, especially the private sector, women and youth.
  • Category 2 grants will be for development of policies for digital innovation (min. EUR 150,000 and max. EUR 160,000 per project). This grant will target government officials in ministries, departments and agencies responsible for ICTs or science, technology and innovation to work in a consultative manner with farmer cooperatives, agro-processors, civil society, groups, and SMEs.
  • Category 3 grants will be for digital innovation for establishing market linkages for farmers’ produce (min. EUR 150,000 and max. EUR 222,500 per project). This grant will target farmer cooperatives in multi-stakeholder partnerships to apply digital solutions to create effective market linkages for their produce.

Regional Approach for Knowledge Sharing
In addition to the financial support, grantees will benefit from transfer of skills, know-how and experience from the Action’s co-implementers. These will be in form of training workshops, business coaching and mentoring, networking and partnerships building to the grantees, and curriculum strengthening for sustainability.
The geographic scope for the action is The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, including  Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Mauritania. The action will contribute to learning across the ACP member states, thereby attracting more investors and key stakeholders from the ACP members and Europe to get actively involved.
The linkage with the African government led Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) will add value through its clear structures for knowledge sharing and strengthen the multi-stakeholder, multi-country and multi-sector partnerships. Currently the Governments of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal are part of PASET-RSIF or in process of contributing to RSIF with additional countries having expressed an interest to join.

President Kenyatta calls for Increased Investment for Research and Development in Africa

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

Speaking at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Nairobi on the 20 November 2020, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta applauded icipe for its prominent contribution to the growth of science and research in Africa over the last five decades. He noted with appreciation that in 2018, icipe, which is hosted by the Government of Kenya, was selected by African governments to run the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET).

The celebrations were also attended by Hon. Amb. Rachelle Omamo, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Hon. Peter Munya, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives who viewed the exhibition of icipe’s achievements and attended the celebration in-person along with members of the diplomatic core, and other icipe stakeholders.

Speaking specifically about RSIF, President Kenyatta in his video statement recalled that “The central objective of this fund is to train up to one thousand doctoral level scientists annually from Sub Saharan African countries in various core fields of science. This measure will also address the imbalance exhibited by our current 88 science researchers per million in sub-Saharan Africa, which compares very unfavourably with the average of 876 science researchers per million in North Africa and also the UK and US averages of 4000 per million.  Accordingly, I appeal for greatly enhanced investment in research and development in order to develop and inculcate a science culture and orientation in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

President Kenyatta noted that Kenya, through the Ministry of Education is the current chair of PASET and have thus far contributed more than USD 2 million to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund. He said “Kenya’s contribution in this regard is consistent with Kenya’s Vision 2030, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063”.

The President said his administration has put in place an enabling policy framework to foster science and innovation – not only as an engine for economic growth, but also as a means of addressing enduring social inequalities. “We have made a commitment to invest up to 2% of our annual national budget in research and innovation, which is in line with our national development programmes,” he said.  “We will continuously improve our strategies to ensure that we continue to attract and nurture talent, harness the resources we have and create opportunities and jobs for our people”.

The President informed icipe stakeholders that science and research institutions such as icipe are important partners in realizing Kenya’s development aspirations. “Indeed, icipe and other similar organizations in Kenya have contributed essential technical skills and scientific knowledge that have proved invaluable to our national development. “These contributions have led to the creation of high quality jobs, especially for young graduates, increased foreign exchange earnings for the country and strengthened our connections, particularly in the field of academia and research, with the rest of world,” the President said.

As part of the celebrations, the President formally launched icipe’s Vision and Strategy for the period 2021 to 2025, which he described as bold and comprehensive noting that it will position the organization as a centre for discovery and provision of solutions. “As current problems are solved, new ones emerge, which require new responses”, he said. He challenged icipe to in the next 50 years herald seminal research work for the greater benefit not only of Africa, but of all mankind.

In conclusion, the President acknowledged the support from donors and partners and expressed the belief that multi-stakeholder partnerships will spur even greater heights of success.

The importance of international science partnership was echoed by Cabinet Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Amb. Rachelle Omamo. She spoke on the power of science to change the world, recalling the context of Covid-19 and climate change that is challenging food security and biodiversity. Commenting on the theme “Insects for Life” and the icipe anniversary plaque of a butterfly, she noted that the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly illustrates icipe’s own transformation since its founding by Kenyan scientist Thomas Odhiambo in 1970.  50 years ago, there were a handful of women scientists, but today women have embraced science and are able to take leadership of one of the world’s premium institutions.  She thanked and applauded Dr. Segenet Kelemu, the first female Director General of icipe and appreciated icipe’s role in growing young scientists and in particular African scientists. The transformational basis of science for development is not yet fully utilized and need to be further promoted.

She said she was challenged by icipe Director General stressing the need for more government cooperation and the idea that foreign policy also has to change as scientific research becomes a foreign policy pillar. She welcomed the idea of enhanced government cooperation with scientific institutions and expressed that she hoped to be able to work with icipe to promote science not only as a development tool, but a tool for peace and security and for transforming the lives of people.

The positive impact for food security was testified to by Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives. Hon. Peter Munya. He said icipe was a household name in Kenya and across Africa as it works closely with farmers, deploying science to find solutions for small holder farmers, enhancing productivity in a sustainable manner.

Further details:

Her Journey to the PhD: Petronille Dusingizimana

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

Ms. Petronille Dusingizimana comes from Rwanda and is pursuing her PhD in climate change, bioversity and sustainable agriculture at the University Felix Houphouët-Boigny in Cote D’ Ivoire. She narrates her story about becoming a RSIF PhD .

I have master’s degree in climate change adaptation, and a bachelor of science degree (BSc) in molecular biology and biotechnology. Throughout my studies and other experiences, I have gathered knowledge and skills in biological science, agriculture and climate change research. I therefore chose my research topic in the same thematic area.
I decided to pursue a PhD because I am interested in and have a passion for a research-based career and I want to explore innovation in the field of agriculture. I think a PhD provides an opportunity to improve my research, management, and other related skills and to enable me to understand and solve problems, in relation to Africa’s needs in agriculture and climate change, for sustainable development.

The Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) – Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) sparked my interest because it is an Africa-led solution to solving African challenges. As a young African, I felt that being part of this program would be a great honor as it would give me an opportunity to strengthen my knowledge and skills, and use them to contribute to building the Africa we want, a self-reliant Africa.
A big percentage of Africa’s economy and livelihoods depend on a rain-fed agriculture system, which is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Failure to factor climate change into long term planning would leave countries across sub Saharan Africa vulnerable to impacts of climate change.

My vision is that the results from my research will support decision making and planning towards climate resilient agricultural and socio economic development in Rwanda. I hope that my research will be used as a prototype for other sub-Saharan African countries, in order to increase agriculture resilience and boost African economy in general. I am convinced that the skills and knowledge I will get through my PhD training in climate change and Biodiversity will assist me to have the “standing” to be a critical thinker and innovator in finding solutions to agriculture, environment conservation, and climate change issues. I also hope to identify new partners that will support my future research and capacity building efforts.

When COVID-19 cases were first reported in Rwanda, I had already quit my job in anticipation to start my PhD program; It was just a week to my travelling day. From then, airports closed; and the whole country went under lockdown. I was not quite sure what to expect or what the next day would hold, which caused me anxiety. I managed this period and anxiety by focusing on controlling what I could and released what I could not. I used the extra time to learn new and different things (academic and social) online. Furthermore, I got to spend time with my family. All this helped me to cope with that stressful period.

I have a family which I belong to. I have prepared them for the commitment and asked for their support for the duration of my PhD program. Work planning in time and time management will help me to balance the two (my family and my studies).

During my PhD program, I expect some challenges. However, I believe these I will overcome and finish my PhD successfully.

Jean Baptiste Habinshuti’s experience during COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

I am on sandwich program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), USA. The first time that I heard about the outbreak of Covid-19 was in December 2019. It was spreading from Wuhan City, in Hubei Province of China. I did not think that it would spread to this level. I thought, it would remain in China, and certainly not that we would be in one of the largest ever global pandemics in history with the whole world on lockdown, thousands of deaths reported, and the world’s economy struggling.

I am scared, and my daily life is affected. We have been watching and reading news from different sources, including social media, to get updates but in all the cases, the number of deaths and new cases have been increasing at a tremendous rate- there is so much fear. Preventive measures such as social distancing and wearing face masks, hand washing with soap and use of sanitizers, have been declared by WHO and adopted by different countries all over the world.

WPI was closed since 15th March 2020 and there is no more movement allowed in the campus. As foreign students, living in one apartment, to limit our exposure to the disease, we adopted shopping strategies such as purchasing foodstuffs in bulk and keeping them in our fridge, and even purchasing some online. We only go outside to shop when our supplies are low.

As the pandemic spreads, we have worries about our families in Africa and they are also worried about us. We are trying to keep regularly updated on the pandemic and to call our families regularly to raise their awareness and help them to understand the importance of implementing and following the government safety measure.

USA is one of the most affected countries in both confirmed cases and mortality, something that caused more fear to us and our families.  Consequently, staying indoors is the only way to avoid being exposed to the virus. Boredom and psychological instability resulting from doing the same thing every-day and being away from the family members is affecting us. Sometimes, I wake up feeling tired and having a headache, probably due to boredom and uncertainties about our status. We have became so concerned about our roommates that when anyone opens the door, we rush to ask where he/she is going.

As PhD a student, most of my activities revolve around academics but I also get involved in social activities and services, such as Sunday prayer meetings, church services, visiting family and friends, having conversations, etc.  All the aspects of my life have been affected by COVID-19.

In March 2020 we had a trip to visit the World Bank at Washington as Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) students in USA. During the travel we were afraid but fortunately we all arrived back safe.

As far as our research work is concerned, I had done some of the preliminary experiments before the pandemic paralyzed the activities in our University. When the university was closed in March, access to University facilities became impossible, with exception of some remote access. We continued to hold regular meetings with our supervisors to regularly review the slow-moving research progress. Our focus has been on writing. We remain with access to some of the school software on the university network.

I have a lot of work to do, as recommended by our advisors, I am trying to maximize the work on literature part of my thesis and when the things are normalized, most of my time will be focused on laboratory work. I am committed to working hard as I can and see the possibilities of meeting the planned timeline to achieve my goals and objectives on time. The only big challenge is about my research samples which remain detained in France because they contain radioactive material.

We need to get as much support as possible from the University to quickly access facilities, resources, and tools, as well as reviews of our work, to enable us to achieve this on time. We appreciate the support from icipe (RSIF Regional Co-ordination Unit), which will also be critical to ensure that we finish on time in this trying situation.

My Experience as an RSIF PhD Scholar at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology by Waema Maxwell Wambua

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

When I received the official invitation for PhD sandwich placement at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), I was not sure what to expect. After arriving in KIST, I quickly settled in a dormitory which is a few meters from the laboratories. The room is well furnished, well maintained and very comfortable with amazing views out on to the greenery by a forest. The common kitchen and laundry area are all of adequate size for the dormitory occupants.

Life in Seoul is very different from what I have experienced before as the culture is unfamiliar. It was a big challenge at first as I experienced culture shock during my first month here! However, I also enjoy adventures and the unknown, so I loved the new experience of a different culture, academic system, meeting new people from all over the world, eating a different cuisine- Kimchi, Bibimbab, Samgyetang, Mandusgug (the language remains a struggle but I am learning!). Interestingly, Koreans have stereotypes about foreigners just as much as we have stereotypes about them.

My PhD research is on the development of point of care diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. I am working on simultaneous detection of respiratory viruses using a controlled release system of thermos-responsive hydrogel microparticles based multiplex real time RT qPCR platform. My hypothesis is driven by the fact that despite lessons learned and progress made from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak and the current coronavirus pandemic that causes COVID-19, the influx of respiratory viral infections are showing similar symptoms to other existing diseases, making it difficult to diagnose symptomatically. Confirmation and repeated diagnosis cause a lot of social anxiety. Therefore, what is needed are rapid and precise multi-diagnostic methods for various infectious diseases with similar symptoms. Such knowledge will play an important role in helping Africa respond to future epidemics and pandemics.

The gold standard method for RNA detection is Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) whereby the mild temperature of RT often causes unexpected binding between primers and random genes. This one-step RT-qPCR leads to a very low multiplicity. This limitation calls for diagnostic technology that controls the release of PCR elements by storing PCR primers inside thermo-responsive polymer capsules, separating them from the RT reaction to prevent adverse side reactions. So far, I have fabricated thermo- responsive primers immobilized networks by encapsulating the PCR primers into low melting point agarose nano-capsules and then introduced them into hydrogel microparticles immobilized with RT primers. I am comparing the efficiency of the qPCR conventional assay with this newly developed tPIN assay.

I have found KIST an ideal place to undertake my research. KIST enjoys a global reputation for its high-quality and modern scientific research including in the biology sciences. Specifically, their robust academic atmosphere and state of the art lab facilities are excellent. With all these, KIST stands to fulfill my aspiration to become a scientist with important achievements in the future.

As a PhD scholar, I have learned the need to set goals and work to achieve them. I am working to finish my PhD on time and fully cooperate with my supervisors to make this a reality.
I am pleased to be in Korea. The Korean people are very helpful to those who do not speak their local language. Several times when I was lost in Seoul, the people especially the young who understand English would come up to me offering to help. Even though there is a language barrier, my experience is that South Korean people will do their best to help you in any way that they can. However, most of the people within KIST are fluent in English, and certainly within the laboratory where I work. Generally, my experience has been great so far and I recommend Korea to anyone wishing to travel there for work or leisure. You will enjoy its wonderful people, places and environment.

Promoting Doctoral Training for Prosperity in Africa

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

Eusebius J. Mukhwana, PhD

Director General and CEO

Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)

Nairobi, Kenya

After decades of decline, African higher education is now arguably in a new era of revival. Initially, our higher education systems were set up using the colonial models of each country in the 1950s and 60s. This model which was largely funded by the Government became unsustainable and was struggling to fund and sustain itself. With the advent of liberalization, since the 1980s families and students took over the bigger role of funding higher education in Africa. This transition though painful, has started to bear fruits. Although many people argue that it has limited access to education by the poor and the disadvantaged populations as well as compromised quality. With the prevalence of knowledge economy discourse, national governments in Africa and their development partners have increasingly aligned higher education with poverty reduction plans and strategies. Further, research capacity has become a critical development issue; and widening participation to doctoral education is seen as an instrument for enhancing this capacity.

A Doctoral degree is the pinnacle of educational attainment and the most respected of all higher educational training. The degree certifies the holder as an independent researcher, an expert with extensive knowledge about the chosen field of study, and a professional with a wide range of transferable skills. As such, doctoral graduates have the capacity and capability to make important contributions to knowledge and drive change in society. Unfortunately, in Africa, the role of doctoral graduates in the country’s economic development has been minimal owing to a complex array of social-economic and political realities. But things are changing; and both the appreciation of their role and the number of doctoral students has been rising in many African countries over the last two decades.

Doctoral graduates represent accumulated human capital, which is a valuable human resource that is useful for making significant contributions to a country’s development. This usually occurs through their capability to enhance the knowledge of others, performing various roles that benefit society, applying acquired skills to research that solves society’s challenges, improving the performance of work colleagues and developing new and novel products. Africa has been slow in benefitting from doctoral graduates because of several challenges. These include:

  1. The Continent lacks good facilities and other resources for training doctoral students;
  2. Limited support and opportunities for doctoral graduates within the formal and largely informal sectors of our economy leading to underutilization of PhD graduates’ expertise;
  3. Poor supervision skills for doctoral students;
  4. Old, outdated and tortuous processes of managing the doctoral training programs; and
  5. Doctoral students that are studying, struggling to work and pay for their studies and families.

Research output in Africa remains quite low compared to the rest of the world. Most of the research done by African doctoral graduates is basic and largely academic; and does not benefit many societies. This has led to lower appreciation of these important members of our society. We need national strategies for promoting the work of doctoral students; and there is also increasing need for them to tap into national research priorities. In the absence of such priorities, many “shoot in the dark: thereby compromising their impacts and the usefulness of their research work.

Funding of doctoral research is also a major challenge in many countries in Africa. Often there is reliance on external donors, which means that research priorities may not be very well aligned to national needs and funding remains fragmented and for short periods. And funds even when available are scattered in different silos which are unknown and even unavailable to those in need. This has led to low uptake of funds available in government and even private agencies, leading to failure to tap into a rich pool of creative initiatives and research that could lead to economic transformation of the continent. There is an abysmal dearth of knowledge on how to use research findings by researchers in Africa to catalyze innovation and to make life easier or mitigate everyday life problems of poor rural and urban Africans. Related to this is the issue of Lack of protection of intellectual Property Rights. Most players in the Higher Education sector have no idea of how to get their products evaluated and secured through patents.  Many of the students enrolled in post graduate (masters and doctoral) training do not complete their studies in time; leading to exceptionally low completion rates and high dropout rates. Studies by the Author in Kenya showed that only about 70% of master’s and 50% of doctoral students finish their studies at all in Kenya. Over 80% of these students complete after the stipulated time of two years (for masters) and three years (for doctorate). This situation is largely reproduced across many countries in Africa. These delays and high drop out rate has been attributed to student, supervision and university management issues that have been well discussed in another paper.

Several things can be done to improve the impact of doctoral training and Research in Africa.

  1. There is need to address issues that are causing high dropout rates and low completion rates for doctoral students at African universities. These include matching carefully students with their supervisors, minimizing bureaucracies in student management, better funding of students and establishing postgraduate student support centers;
  2. There is need for a paradigm shift from doing routine research for the sake of it – to more targeted research which addresses the needs of the communities. Research training and research studies should be strategic and aligned to the needs of the country;
  • There is need align research to the needs of the private sector by enhancing the engagement of academia and industry, and also to the needs of governments. This ‘triple-helix’ model is critical for strengthening the profitability of knowledge leading to economic growth.
  1. Africa needs a research commercialization policy that will help in research uptake and ensure that research ideas move up the value chain and create wealth for the continent;
  2. Universities need to conduct research that informs policy, law and national dialogue in order to catalyze national development;
  3. There is need to coordinate policies and legislation to support research as well as strengthen Government-private sector linkages to support doctoral student funding for improved quality of training;
  • Funding from international partners should be appraised to ensure that they address the local needs and is not tied to the priorities of other countries/funding bodies;
  • The research must also get to the end user. There is need to device ways that can disseminate research to ensure that it reaches the end users. Universities should lead the way in using research outputs by directly engaging with communities. Each university needs to establish a knowledge transfer center which is easily accessible to the end users;
  1. As more resources are put in research, renown Professors should get more involved in research work, demonstrate academic  leadership and mentor upcoming scholars;
  2. The commercialization of research and technology transfer needs support after publication. A lot of work needs to be done in publicity, patenting and copy writing;
  3. Linkages with TVET and Industry Institutions play a crucial role in producing practical human resource for the economy. Universities should work with TVET institutions and industry to support fabrication and commercialization of their research products;

These issues have led to their limited involvement in national development.

In response to the findings, three initiatives have been proposed to capitalize on the potential of PhD graduates. Firstly, it is vital for national and regional strategies for doctoral education to include a policy, plan, and budget. Secondly, support and opportunities for PhD graduates, need to be actualized through appropriate remuneration, engagement schemes and greater collaboration between PhD graduates and key stakeholder groups to foster participation; thirdly: it is critical to engage women to further their careers at the highest levels, in order to access a largely missing part of our population in science.

About the Author:

Dr. Eusebius J. Mukhwana is the Director General and CEO of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA); and a stronger believer in the abilities of Africa to industrialize and create prosperity for all its people. This article was written as a contribution to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund Weekly Newsletter

Life, study and research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): RSIF PhD scholar Sylvia Wairimu Maina’s story

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

My research title is “Deciphering Biosynthesis of Bioactive compounds in African Cabbage (Cleome gynandra)”. I am working on this local orphan crop that is used both as a vegetable and a medicinal plant in promoting human and animal health. I will be profiling different accessions to determine the levels of glucosinolate secondary metabolites compounds present.  Furthermore, I will evaluate the biological activity and applicability of extracts from the plants. The research results will promote useful neglected crops nutritionally and pharmacologically. The research is relevant in many parts of Kenya and across the continent, which has rich and diverse underutilized crops with great potential in food security and health. I am enrolled for my PhD at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Africa Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans & Animals in Southern & Eastern Africa (SACIDS), Tanzania. I am funded through the PASET RSIF Program. The prestigious RSIF scholarship covers the full cost of my PhD studies at Sokoine University and provides for my internship, including travel, at KIST.

Being an RSIF student has been both a challenging and rewarding experience for me. It has given me the opportunity to explore more than just my research topic objectives; and this has impacted a very significant amount of personal development and learning. I appreciated the chance to share my story and research interest with an international audience at the 5th PASET Forum in Kigali, Rwanda in 2019. The RSIF programme has also given me the opportunity to be mentored, to create connections with peers, to build worthwhile networks, to meet and hear from inspirational people with the focus of developing personal and professional goals.

My journey as an RSIF PhD scholar and female African scientist builds on my past achievements and passion for teaching. I was born and raised in a humble family in Kenya. In boarding school, I was shy, self-conscious, and became overwhelmed by the academic pressure. However, these challenges inspired independence and responsibility. My favorite subjects in high school were mathematics and sciences. In choosing to pursue a career in science, I draw inspiration from memories of my grandfather who used plant extract-based therapy to treat sheep suspected of having sustained snake bites. I obtained my Bachelors in Science (Bsc) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Masters in Science Degree (MSc) in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, in 2011 and 2014 respectively from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. While studying, I conducted tutorial classes and practical sessions for undergraduate students. Through this experience, I developed a passion for teaching and upon graduation I worked as a teaching assistant. I started my PhD at Sokoine University of Agriculture in 2018.

The opportunity provided by RSIF to engage in the ‘sandwich’ program at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has surpassed my initial expectations by enabling me to receive personalized advice that focuses on my needs and challenges. I am attached to a very vibrant group of aggressive scholars who are generous with sharing knowledge. This has been a plus point for the team since members are freely able to socialize and discuss about the PhD experiences, get help and advice that helps one improve in research and also make friends. The option of volunteering in the team’s projects has enabled me to challenge myself, a chance which has opened up in me qualities that I didn’t really know were there.My passion is in Biochemistry, Biotechnology and health.  Using a “bottom up” approach, I strive to understand useful compounds in natural products.  The recent technological advances have allowed smart cultivation of compound rich plants, their extraction, identification and evaluation in maintaining health of human, animals and plants. In combination I also use bioinformatics by integrating computers, software tools and databases in an effort to address biological questions.

My greatest challenges in this current period of my PhD collaboration in Korea is maintaining a healthy work–life balance by finding a routine that works best for me. In most instances I have had a lopsided schedule which has affected my social life. Occasionally, I have found myself with unfinished work as I try to run my objectives in parallel, however, through the supportive team of scholars, I have had the chance to navigate through.
The greatest discovery I have made so far is that success means more if I move out of my comfort zone and challenge myself in new things that allow me to grow. I am assured that this decision to take up the RSIF PhD research opportunity will one day prove to be one of the most important and rewarding things I ever did with my life. I thank the Government of Kenya, through PASET RSIF for supporting my studies.

PASET, which is an initiative of African Governments, with support from the Government of Korea and the World Bank, aims at strengthening the science and technology capability of sub-Saharan African countries for economic development. RSIF is PASET’s flagship initiative and the first Pan-African science fund of its kind. RSIF will train applied researchers (at least 40% women), in sciences and engineering, build research capacity in sub-Saharan African universities and conduct research for Africa’s development. This initiative is timely as Africa responds to challenges such as COVID-19. RSIF competitively provides PhD scholarships for 3-4 years training for citizens of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries at Host Universities in Africa, and ‘sandwich’ training at selected International Partner Organizations.

Life, study and research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): RSIF PhD Scholar Noel Gahamanyi’s story.

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

As soon as I completed my field work and portion of my laboratory work that I could do at Sokoine University of Agriculture’s Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance – African Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (SACIDS-ACE) in Tanzania, I was very anxious to start my PhD research internship at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). The opportunity was made possible through a scholarship from the Partnership for skills in Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (PASET) Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund. The prestigious scholarship covers the full cost of my PhD studies at Sokoine University and provides for my internship at KIST.

The entry requirements to KIST were rigorous and each of us had to take part in documents screening, sitting for Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), an oral interview, as well as engage with potential researchers at the institute before being accepted. Five other students supported by RSIF were also accepted besides me. Sylvia Maina Wairimu, Mabwi Humphrey Andalo, and Sodedji Frejus, who are with me at the Gangneung Natural Products Research Institute, while Waema Maxwell and Emmanuel Kifaro are at the KIST main campus (Seoul).

PASET, which is an initiative of African Governments, with support from the Government of Korea and the World Bank, aims at strengthening the science and technology capability of sub-Saharan African countries for economic development. RSIF is PASET’s flagship initiative and the first Pan-African science fund of its kind. RSIF will train applied researchers in sciences and engineering, build research capacity in sub-Saharan African universities and conduct research for Africa’s development. This initiative is timely as Africa responds to challenges such as COVID-19. RSIF competitively provides PhD scholarships for 3-4 years training for citizens of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries at Host Universities in Africa, and ‘sandwich’ training at selected International Partner Organizations.

As soon as I arrived at KIST, I was provided with a workstation, where I could place my belongings and computer. I immediately began an online Biosafety course on Living Modified Organisms (LMO), which I was informed, was a requirement for accessing laboratory facilities at the institution. The course was very useful and introduced me to the general principles on handling samples and instruments in the laboratory and other aspects of working in the laboratory. The course also included information on how to handle emergencies, such as accidents and, for instance, the use of the fire extinguishers in case of fire.

After receiving primers, master mix, and getting the required reagents, I was able to begin running my samples. My research is on Transmission dynamics and antimicrobial resistance of thermophilic Campylobacter in humans, animals, and the environment in Kilosa District, Tanzania. I am making use of Sequencing technology, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Gel electrophoresis, and an ultra-violet Trans-Illuminator to view bands of amplified DNAs. The research is still ongoing, but I have already been able to prepare and submit a manuscript to a high quality journal. The research is of importance to my country and the wider Africa region.

Life at KIST
Life at KIST has been quite interesting for me. But certainly not without challenges. Initially, I had trouble to express myself in the local language (Hangul). I have not started the Korean language (Hangul) classes yet, but with the help of my friends I am able to move around and buy what I need from supermarkets. I move around by local transport, usually by bus. This is not that different from Rwanda, where I come from.

After a busy day in the office or laboratory, I have access to KIST sports facilities including basketball court, table tennis and fitness room. The facilities are of high standard. I also meet up with other RSIF students every Friday evening for a one-hour prayer and socializing. Every Sunday, I attend a local church.

This has changed since COVID-19. For one, I now follow mass online and spend most of my time in the laboratory with little movement around campus and town. We are finding ways to cope with COVID-19. And most importantly, my research work continues.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to come to Korea and look forward to finishing my research and going back to Sokoine University in Tanzania, my home university, and then back to Rwanda to start my career. I have been able to meet students from many other countries, both in Asia and Africa. However, I am building strong friendships and partnerships, and when I go back to Rwanda, I will certainly remain in touch to continue with this and other research partnerships. For all the students here, we thank PASET and the Korea Government for the funding that has enabled us to be here. We believe that this internship will enhance the quality of our publications[1], academic programs and research projects.

[1] Joint between the African Host University and the International Partner Institution