By Philip Tengzu
Wa (UW/R), Sept. 25, GNA – The University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) has opened its sixth Research and Development (R&D) Conference, reiterating its commitment to strengthening research and innovation to inform policy and advance Ghana’s development.
The three-day conference, on the theme, “Research for Policy: Strengthening Evidence-Informed Policymaking for Ghana’s Development,” brought together researchers, academics, policymakers and students, among others.
It was to create a platform for participants to deliberate on how research could be harnessed to provide practical solutions to the country’s development challenges.
Speaking at the opening, Professor Emmanuel Derbile, Vice-Chancellor of UBIDS, observed that research achieved its full value when it informed decisions that shaped development.
“I believe evidence should inform policy if development is to be sustained … This sits at the heart of the University’s mandate: to conduct applied research that informs policy and improves lives towards achieving international acclamation,” he explained.
Prof. Derbile indicated that about 60 per cent of the conference’s registered participants were postgraduate students of UBIDS, demonstrating an emerging research culture at the university.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university’s management was taking steps to strengthen its research ecosystem, including plans to establish a grants management system to support researchers in sourcing and managing competitive research and development grants.
Prof. Derbile said the Grants Office would, among other things, provide structured support to researchers in proposal development, compliance and partnership building.
Mr Shaiku Mumuni Damma, the Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, in a speech read on behalf of the Regional Minister, said Ghana’s sustainable development depended on the effective use of research and evidence in policymaking.
He said research should not be viewed merely as an academic exercise but as an important instrument for understanding national challenges, testing solutions, and improving decisions.
“A nation cannot sustainably develop the strength of good intentions alone. It must develop on the strength of good evidence, sound institutions and courageous decisions,” Mr Damma said.
He noted that Ghana had universities, research institutions and think tanks producing knowledge, but ensuring that such knowledge informed policy decisions and improved livelihoods remained a major challenge.
Prof. Frederick Dayour, Director of Research at UBIDS, said the conference had attracted significant interest, with 165 abstracts submitted under 11 sub-themes aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Out of that number, 119 participants had been confirmed to present their abstracts at the conference following rigorous scrutiny of the submissions.
He explained that this year’s conference had attracted participants from a wide range of institutions, including the University of New York, Société Générale de Surveillance South Africa, University of Energy and Natural Resources, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Bongo District Hospital and Wassa East District Assembly, among others.
He added that 32 policy briefs had been received, with 22 considered suitable for publication, covering areas including health systems, agriculture and food security, tourism, and gender and traditional authority, among others.
Prof. Dayour said the policy briefs would be shared with relevant ministries, institutions, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations.
GNA
Edited by Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Reporter’s email: [email protected]