{"id":69784,"date":"2025-03-28T20:06:36","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T17:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atpsnet.org\/stage\/?p=69784"},"modified":"2026-06-10T12:31:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T09:31:45","slug":"rise-weca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atpsnet.org\/stage\/rise-weca\/","title":{"rendered":"ReImagining the ReSearch for DEvelopment Landscape of WEst and Central Africa for Equitable and Transformative Impact (RISE-WECA)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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ReImagining the ReSearch for DEvelopment Landscape of WEst and Central Africa for Equitable and Transformative Impact (RISE-WECA)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Project Duration:<\/strong> 2025-2026
Grantor:<\/strong> International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Principal Investigator:<\/strong> Prof. Nicholas Ozor
Emails:<\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong>executivedirector@atpsnet.org<\/a>; nozor@atpsnet.org<\/a>
Project Countries<\/strong>
West Africa:<\/strong> Ghana, Sierra Leone, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Senegal, and Nigeria
Central Africa:<\/strong> Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, and Cameroon<\/p>

Grant Amount:<\/strong> US $52,066<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Project Description<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Africa’s research for development (R4D) landscape in West and Central Africa is currently constrained by traditional research approaches that have failed to address complex, interconnected challenges. These approaches have been inadequate in tackling systemic inequalities, knowledge production disparities, and emerging technological and environmental disruptions. The existing research ecosystem requires a fundamental reimagining that can dismantle long-standing unfavorable research methods and create more equitable, connected, and capable research partnerships. The proposed initiative aims to transform the R4D landscape by prioritizing previously overlooked dimensions such as indigenous knowledge, grassroots innovations, and research partnerships that genuinely reflect local realities. By challenging existing power dynamics in knowledge production, creating more inclusive research processes, and developing innovative mechanisms that prioritize development impact, the project seeks to unlock research’s transformative potential. The approach focuses on building local capacities, supporting diverse knowledge systems, and creating flexible, adaptive research frameworks that can drive sustainable development in Central and West Africa.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Goal and Specific Objectives<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The overall goal of this research for impact project is to partner with relevant stakeholders in the co-creation of an impactful and transformative research for the development ecosystem in Central and West Africa. The specific objectives are to:<\/p>

  1. Analyze, validate and co-create a vision for transforming the R4D landscape of Central and West Africa by exploring the contextual realities in the regions;<\/li>
  2. Surface scalable examples of systemic change taking place in the specific context of the regions;<\/li>
  3. Identify strategic next steps for transforming the research for the development ecosystem to become impact oriented and;<\/li>
  4. Develop action plans that lay out pathways towards the achievement of the transformation vision.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Key Activities<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    1. Political Economy Study:<\/em><\/strong> a comprehensive situational analysis of the political economy of research and knowledge production, uptake, use and influence in the regional context of Central and West Africa will be conducted. The aim is to understand and validate the visions for transforming the R4D landscape in the regions.<\/li>
    2. .Co-creation of a vision for transforming R4D:<\/em><\/strong> The project team will collaborate with key stakeholders including government agencies, research institutions, universities, the private sector, and local communities to understand each country\u2019s vision and strategies for transformative research for development.<\/li>
    3. Stakeholder Engagement and Validation:<\/em><\/strong> The project team will facilitate a two-day in-person meeting with key actors and networks in each of the selected countries to validate the findings from WPs One and Two. The aim is to ensure collaborative validation and refinement of the vision for a transformative R4D change<\/li>
    4. Synthesis and Knowledge Sharing: <\/em><\/strong>Based on the outputs from the previous activities, stories of change will be synthesized for each of the countries and the entire regions to inform the relevant stakeholders including governments, development partners, research institutions and universities on the vision for a transformative change in the research for development landscape of the regions.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Expected Outputs and Outcomes<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Outputs<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Project Outcomes<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Preliminary, and validation reports<\/strong><\/p>