The British Academy announces recipients of its ODA Research Management Capacity Strengthening programme

The British Academy is pleased to announce the 17 successful applicants to its ODA Research Management Capacity Strengthening 2024.

This call aims to reach beyond individual capacity and skills development to achieve sustainable transformation at an institutional level. Awards are expected to involve significant time devoted to dialogue and communication between the institutions involved so that links can be built and enhanced, ways of working can be adapted, and best practice can be reached for all those involved in supporting future research projects.

The intended outcome of this programme is to enhance the capabilities of institutions in Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and/or Least Developed Countries and UK-based institutions to overcome systemic barriers of working across borders and to embed the resulting best practise within the institutions to support sustained, equitable, international research collaboration.

This call is supported from the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund managed by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology. In the context of this call, funding from the International Science Partnerships Fund is funded by Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The ODA Research Management Capacity Strengthening 2024 awardees are:

Please note: Awards are arranged alphabetically by surname of the grant recipient. The institution is that given at the time of application.

Paul Davidson

ODARM100220

'BRIDGE-IT Building Research Infrastructure for Dynamic Global Engagement: Innovating Turkish-UK Partnerships'

London South Bank University

£49,896.00

Turkey’s research potential is vast, but limitations in research management infrastructure impede its full participation in and benefit from international research collaborations. BRIDGE-IT (Building Research Infrastructure for Dynamic Global Engagement) tackles this challenge by uniting Istanbul Medeniyet University (IMU) and London South Bank University (LSBU) in a transformative partnership to elevate Turkey’s research management capabilities and foster equitable global engagement.

Through a co-designed, targeted programme, LSBU and IMU will implement AI-driven tools for grant management, financial oversight, and partnership governance, creating accessible, integrated solutions. This initiative includes capacity-building workshops, scenario-based training, and a mentorship programme, empowering IMU to independently secure and manage international research funding. BRIDGE-IT also strengthens LSBU’s role in fostering ODA-compliant partnerships, setting a high standard for equitable collaboration.

This project will deliver a scalable, sustainable framework, aligned with Turkey’s Sustainable Development Goals, fostering lasting improvements in research management and global collaboration opportunities.

Research Team: Paul Davidson, London South Bank University; Gaston Primo, London South Bank University; Nil Atmaca, London South Bank University; Zainab Khan, London South Bank University; Nagenhan Erosy Tunali, Istanbul Medeniyet University; Yaşar Bulbul, Istanbul Medeniyet University

Mandy Dillon

ODARM100177

'The development of a novel Lancaster – Sunway Professional Service Staff Exchange Scheme (LU-SU SES)'

Lancaster University

£49,994.00

The Lancaster University-Sunway University Staff Exchange Scheme (LU-SU SES) will foster deep understanding of research management functions at both Lancaster, UK (LU) and Sunway, Malaysia (SU) Universities. It will include a broad range of related research support areas including costing, development, finance, partnerships, HR, IP and commercialisation, trusted research, ethics and legal operations. Through this programme, we aim to build capacity within both institutions to effectively manage international research collaborations through knowledge exchange, training, and the development of shared best practices, addressing the specific needs and challenges of each institution whilst also anticipating broader impact when partnering beyond SU or LU. The creation of a joint programme of activity, which will be managed equally between SU and LU will seek to address the issue of inequitable partnerships in international research by embedding a process of co-design, mutual respect, and clear articulation of roles, responsibilities, and benefits throughout.

Research Team: Mandy Dillon, Lancaster University, Daniel Lee Lih Wei, Sunway University; Chua Khong Wai, Sunway University; Kirk Semple, Lancaster University; Emmanuel Tsekleves, Lancaster University

Chau Duong

ODARM100284

'GrantsHub: An Integrated Research Management System for Vietnamese universities'

University of East London

£49,984.41

The GrantsHub project aims to establish Vietnam’s first integrated research management system, piloted at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) as a model for wider adoption in Vietnam. This system will centralize and streamline the management of research grants, improving transparency, efficiency, and collaboration across departments. Once tested and refined at UEH, GrantsHub will provide a foundational framework for research policy development and capacity-building programs across Vietnamese universities, enhancing their competitiveness for international grants. Developed in partnership with the University of East London and Roehampton University, the project benefits from UK insights and experience, setting GrantsHub up as a leader in global best practices. Key objectives include empowering researchers with essential skills in grant management and ethical standards, automating institutional workflows, and facilitating better knowledge-sharing. A comprehensive handbook on building the system will be made widely available to foster broader community engagement and capacity-building.

Research Team: Chau Duong, University of East London; Nguyen Nguyen, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City; Nguyet Nguyen, Roehampton University; Vu Vo, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City; Lien Nguyen, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

Iman Harymawan

ODARM100312

'Enhancing Support Operations for Comprehensive and Effective Grant Management: A Strategic Approach to Strengthening Research Capacity'

Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia

£50,000.00

This proposal aims to strengthen Universitas Airlangga’s research support functions to build a robust grant management system, improving efficiency and fostering a vibrant research ecosystem. By streamlining workflows, enhancing staff capacity, and integrating advanced digital tools, the initiative seeks to reduce administrative burdens on researchers and unify grant management across departments. Key strategies include automating processes and providing targeted training for research support staff, enabling efficient handling of complex projects and ensuring compliance with funder requirements. Partnering with Durham University, this initiative also focuses on improving monitoring and reporting systems, ensuring better project tracking and stakeholder communication. Ultimately, a centralized, streamlined grant management system will boost research output, elevate Universitas Airlangga’s global academic impact, and create a sustainable, innovation-driven research environment that supports societal progress.

Research Team: Iman Harymawan, Universitas Airlangga; Anna Brown, Durham University; Eleanor Glenton, Durham University; Astri Dewayani, Universitas Airlangga; Yanuardi Raharjo, Universitas Airlangga

Daniel Jameson

ODARM100117

'Co-creating and delivering a self-sustaining Research Management and Workforce Development training programme for long-term use in Kenya and the United Kingdom.'

University of Manchester

£48,935.00

The University of Manchester (UoM) and Kenyatta Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) are partnering to address healthcare challenges in Kenya through mutual learning and co-developed research questions. We will co-create training to enhance interoperability between core research supporting functions within the institutions. The programme will be founded upon collaborative and team research principles, training and building interdisciplinary teams with a shared vision and effective working methods who are then able to train others. This initiative will establish a robust administrative infrastructure at KUTRRH, promoting clinical research capabilities, and broaden experience and expertise within UoM’s infrastructure to work effectively on projects with partners in the global south. The project’s outcomes will serve as the bedrock for future Kenya-UK research partnerships improving the entire research lifecycle and form a template for the development of intra and inter-partner training which can be adopted and used by others.

Research Team: Daniel Jameson, University of Manchester; Caroline Ngugi, Kenyatta University Teaching Referral, and Research Hospital

Elisavet Kitou

ODARM100183

'Building a decolonial ethic for fair and equitable development research partnerships within research management: insights from a hybrid academic-practitioner consortium'

University of Reading

£50,000.00

This project is focused on promoting equity in the application development process, within the context of international development research. It will build the capacity of research offices, and associated functions, to facilitate the design of research partnerships that are equitable and value diverse knowledge and decolonised approaches to development within proposal preparation. The project is being co-designed with two universities (University of Reading, in the UK, and Strathmore University, in Kenya (which is also a centre for development agencies in Africa)) and an international development organisation, Christian Aid.

Using a mock application (unless a live application is available), the project will utilise a series of in-person and online knowledge exchange workshops. The learning will be used to create a toolkit that includes templates and good practice recommendations to embed best practice in the consortium’s respective institutions, and that’s scalable to research offices in the UK and Africa.

Research Team: Elisavet Kitou, University of Reading; Cathy Bollaert, Christian Aid; Linet Mukami, Strathmore University; Jamaldin Keitany, Strathmore University

Rachel Lawlor

ODARM100184

'Building Bridges: Transforming Collaborative Research between the UK and East Africa through People, Infrastructure and Engagement'

SOAS University of London

£50,000.00

Practical challenges that arise during the delivery of collaborative research are seldom used as an opportunity to address systemic issues. A review of existing collaborations between SOAS and partners in East Africa has enabled us to go beyond problem-solving in situ: we have identified three underpinning themes that will drive capacity- building across our institutions and beyond:

People: We will co-design and deliver high-quality training that balances essential technical and soft skills for research-enablers.

Infrastructure: We will develop aligned policies, research governance processes and communications expectations to enable streamlined research delivery across service areas (HR, Research, Finance, Legal) within and between institutions.

Engagement: We will collaborate with funders and special interest groups in the UK and East Africa through in-depth stakeholder engagement ensuring impact across the wider ecosystem.

We will deliver meaningful change, seek external accreditation standards for work completed, evaluate progress and outcomes and build lasting networks and momentum.

Research Team: Rachel Lawlor, SOAS University of London; Paul Muoki Nzioki, Murang’a University of Technology; Peter Waithaka, Murang’a University of Technology; Mekonen Aregai, Askum University; Berihu Tekluu, Askum University; James Mugisha, Kyombogo University; Ronald Sebba, Kyombogo University

Richard Thomas

ODARM100255

'Strengthening research governance and research management capacity in East Africa and the East Midlands'

University of Leicester

£48,162.00

Building on almost 30 years of research collaboration, this project will strengthen research governance and build research leadership capacity at the University of Gondar, Ethiopia and the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. While both institutions have a track record of delivering complex international research partnerships, significant challenges exist: the University of Gondar lacks some of the policies and processes to manage collaborative research projects consistently and efficiently; the University of Leicester needs to develop an ethically-informed framework for managing complex international partnerships; a strategic priority for both institutions is to increase the diversity of its research leaders and managers. This project will deliver sustainable improvements to research management by sharing best practice at both institutions and co-creating new ways of working, through a programme of face-to-face and virtual activities, and cohort training of future research managers. Best practice will be shared with partners in Ethiopia and across the East Midlands.

Research Team: Richard Thomas, University of Leicester; Missaye Mulatie Mengstie, University of Gondar; Gebeyehu Begashaw, University of Gondar; Di Levine, University of Leicester

Hilary Lynch

ODARM100120

'UK-East Africa research management capacity strengthening across the grant lifecycle'

Royal Holloway, University of London

£49,994.00

This project focuses on strengthening research management capacity in UK and East African institutions across the entire research grant lifecycle, enabling research managers to support academics in i) developing research grant applications, ii) navigating legal and policy aspects surrounding grant awards, iii) effectively managing grant finances and iv) engaging in dissemination and commercialisation of research outcomes. This will be achieved through mutual learning and understanding of partners’ realities, priorities, demands and challenges, leading to a new and more equitable way of working together. This will in turn lead to the establishment of better financial management practices, good institutional research policy frameworks and upskilled professional service staff. The anticipated project outputs will be the establishment of better systems for financial management, a toolkit and training programme for legal staff, a research policy framework and research policy documents, a grant application training programme, and a training course in knowledge exchange and commercialisation.

Research Team: Hilary Lynch, Royal Holloway, University of London; Becky Aloo, University of Eldoret; Manasi Echaune, Kibabii University; John Baptist Tumuhairwe, University of Makerere

Phuong Nguyen

ODARM100207

'From Vision to Impact: Advancing Research Management Capabilities across Vietnamese Institutions'

Banking Academy of Vietnam

£49,985.00

This project seeks to enhance research management capacities across Vietnamese institutions, represented by Banking Academy of Vietnam and Vin University, through a structured, collaborative program spanning HR, finance, and legal frameworks. With guidance from experts at the University of Kent (UK), the initiative will develop an audit tool to benchmark and track progress in these areas. The program includes five phases: initial assessment of current capacities, tool development and workshops, application and review of strategies, legal research management enhancement, and dissemination of findings. Each stage integrates international best practices and aims to build sustainable research infrastructure aligned with institutional goals. Participants will engage in targeted workshops, ongoing assessments, and knowledge-sharing sessions, promoting capacity building and measurable improvements. Ultimately, this project supports the strategic aims of elevating Vietnam's research management practices to a globally recognized standard, fostering a robust foundation for future academic and research success.

Research Team: Phuong Nguyen, Banking Academy of Vietnam; Desmond Doran, University of Kent; Jesse O’Hanley, Univerity of Kent; Bac Thi Viet Phung, Vin University; Hieu Huy Pham, Vin University

John Roberts 

ODARM100244

'GRaSP - Global Research Professional Services Partnerships'

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

£50,000.00

As a collective group of global health organisations, we can not deliver our mission without the key global partnerships we have developed over many years. These partnerships underpin all activity and the scope of this application is to strengthen the research management infrastructure that supports academic and technical delivery in all four organisations; CeSHHAR, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Kenya, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Programme and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine UK. The complexities of managing international funding in multiple contexts necessitates a collaborative approach that allows each partner to provide country, region and institutional specific elements to the design, support and management of global research projects. This co-designed programme of workshops will allow staff within grant management functions of the organisations listed above to highlight areas of both capacity strengthening need but also areas of best practice to be shared with the consortium to implement real change.

Research Team: John Roberts, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Davis Tomu, Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (CeSHHAR); Elizabeth Wilson, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Ausbert Khembo, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme; Benta Kamire, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Kenya; Karendi Njeru, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Kenya

Mary Ryan 

ODARM100070

'Strengthening international research collaboration; fostering equity through institutional risk management'

University of Glasgow

£49,909.32

We address institutional risk management through strengthening compliance environments at five partner institutions. Our policy frameworks are well-developed, but we each face challenges in implementation, ranging from under-developed reporting processes to lack of staff awareness across all job families of their own compliance responsibilities. This creates significant institutional risk. We will deploy a programme of responsive capacity strengthening workshops, focus group discussions, informal consultations and co-developed guidance materials to strengthen and operationalize existing institutional policies. Through ongoing knowledge exchange and iterative gap analysis we will strengthen processes and staff capacity through sharing best practices for our local contexts and use ripple effect mapping to monitor outcomes and impacts. Risk management capability is a key factor in the maintenance of power imbalances in research collaboration (either through funder assessments or perceptions at Global North institutions). Through tackling this area, we will enhance equity across our partnerships while enhancing core institutional capacities.

Research Team: Mary Ryan, University of Glasgow; Zawadi Mageni Mboma, Ifakara Health Institute; Palinji Mungoni, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences; Alfred Maluwa, Malawi University of Sciences and Technology; Elizabeth Kussaga, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute; Tupokigwe Jana, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute.

Tshegofatso Seabi

ODARM100097

'Equitable Partnerships for African Research Infrastructure and Capacity (EP for AfRICa)'

University of Manchester

£50,000

This proposed collaborative training programme seeks to improve research management capability at four universities: the University of Manchester, Addis Ababa University, Makerere University, and Mkwawa University College of Education. The programme aims to establish a more productive and equitable research environment, addressing challenges such as inefficient administrative processes, limited funding management, and inadequate data systems. Participants will gain knowledge of good practices in interdisciplinary collaboration, financial management, and legal compliance through retreats, virtual peer-learning sessions and the creation of toolkits aimed at integrated systems. This project highlights the value of fair collaborations, guaranteeing that all organisations contribute to and gain from the pooled knowledge. The programme aims to increase research capacities by promoting an environment of mutual respect and transparency, enabling these institutions to carry out significant research that tackles regional and global issues. By encouraging cooperation and creativity in African research, this programme advances international participation and sustainable development.

Research Team: Tshegofatso Seabi, University of Manchester; Odile Masiá, University of Manchester; Ezana Amdework, Addis Ababa University; Deusdedit Rwehumbiza, Mkwana University College of Education; Paul Mukwaya, Makerere Univeristy

Nana Sarkodie-Mensah

ODARM100217

'Better management for better health – strengthening research management capacity of the Hararghe Health Research partnership in Ethiopia'

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

£49,571.15

The Hararghe Health Research (HHR) partnership is a collaboration between Haramaya University (HU), Ethiopia, and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UK, to improve health outcomes in Ethiopia through high quality research.

This project aims to strengthen HHR Ethiopia’s research management capacity, focusing on governance and finance policies and practices.

Activities include reciprocal visits by HHR Ethiopia research management & operations staff to LSHTM and vice versa, review of HHR finance policies and procedures, work towards Good Financial Grants Practice (GFGP) accreditation, end-of-project engagement and dissemination workshops.

Outputs & outcomes:

- New and improved HHR financial policies and procedures in priority areas

- Groundwork for GFGP accreditation to Silver standard, with roadmap to Gold

- Alignment of finance policies and procedures with evolving governance model for HHR to ensure long-term sustainability and success

- Communication of project achievements and recommendations to key stakeholders.

Research Team: Nana Sarkodie-Mensah, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Yenenesh Tilahun Asfaw, Haramaya University

Ashlene Vennard

ODARM100211

Queen’s University Belfast

'Cross-cultural connections: A region-based approach to sharing research management best practices for long-term international collaboration'

£50,000.00

Research management and the associated functions (RMA) are an essential part of supporting and facilitating international research collaboration. In this proposal four Higher education institution (HEIs) across two complementary regions are joining forces, forming an equitable partnership focused on breaking down siloed working that can hinder effective research management within and across institutions. The partnership aims to share and learn from each other, providing an integrated professional development programme for at least 30 RMA staff to catalyse more effective support for international partnerships aligned with institutional research strengths and regional priorities. The project outputs will include development of best practice case studies and new policies to underpin international collaboration. In turn, this enhanced capacity will lead to transformational advances across the institutions and economic impacts in the two strategic provinces in which they are based; Northern Ireland (NI) and the Eastern Cape of South Africa (SA).

Research Team: Ashlene Vennard, Queen’s University Belfast; Nomakwezi Mzilikazi, Rhodes University; Palesa Natasha Mothapo, Nelson Mandela University; Shauna Mckeown, Ulster University

Katie Wilde

ODARM100219

'INSPERation: Advancing Research Management Capacity for International Data Science Excellence.'

University of Aberdeen

£49,812.04

INSPERation aims to enhance research management capacity and transform the support for sustainable, equitable, international collaborations in data science between Brazil and Scotland. By combining the University of Aberdeen’s expertise in Trusted Research Environments (TREs) and research management with Insper's local insights and connections in Brazil, this project will coproduce a framework to address challenges of differing infrastructure and data governance requirements that are barriers to international data research projects. Through workshops, sharing best practices, and the establishment of a knowledge transfer program, the initiative will develop a framework for the fair and equitable use of international data, accelerating data science and generating significant benefits for both nations. Building on these initiatives, our project aims to revolutionise research environments to enable data-driven solutions for sustainable development in Brazil and further.

Research Team: Katie Wilde, University of Aberdeen; Stacey Dawson, University of Aberdeen; Sharon Gordon, University of Aberdeen; Sulane Fontes, Insper University; Andre Batista, Insper University; Vanessa Boarati, Insper University

Sandar Win

ODARM100095

'Research Management Capacity Strengthening of UK Universities and Research Center for Language, Culture and Human Development in Lower ASEAN (RC-LCHD) of Prince Songkla University (PSU) in Thailand'

Sheffield Hallam University

£44,977.00

This project focuses on research management capacity strengthening of the Research Center for Language, Culture and Human Development in Lower ASEAN (RC-LCHD), Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and University of Essex. RC-LCHD is part of the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince Songkla University (PSU) in the southern region of Thailand. The centre was established in 2022. The programme of work is designed with senior leadership teams at PSU and underpinned by participatory action research principles. It will be delivered over 22 months. The project aims to create necessary foundations or research management systems for RC-LCHD and UK universities to collaborate with other international research institutions, support PSU and UK researchers to conduct ethical multidisciplinary research that promote economic development and social welfare of global communities and assist PSU researchers and those in research management functions in networking internationally and understanding institutional requirements of different funding bodies in the UK.

Research Team: Sandar Win, Sheffield Hallam University; Kemtong Sinwongsuwat, Prince Songkla University; Banthita Hunt, University of Essex.