2ND CARTA VICE CHANCELLOR'S MEETING CARTA 2ND VICE CHANCELLORS MEETING REPORT | Page 36

© Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) & University of Nairobi (UoN)
Maximizing the benefits to all partners
For all parties to benefit fully from the opportunities Northern Partners have to offer, there is need
for CARTA fellows and member universities to fully understand local terms and financial conditions
for universities. CARTA should disseminate its experiences among all partners and make clear the
awareness of the expectations from individuals as well as universities. There also has to be a direct
contact with CARTA focal persons.
In conclusion, Prof. Bondjers highlighted that Europe has had a process of ensuring quality and
understanding of what the requirements are for PhD students. All universities should embrace this.
Establishing a minimum quality level and guidelines in standardizing the PhD requirements is
something to consider for African universities.
PRESENTATION THREE: ROLE OF RESEARCH CENTRES IN DOCTORAL TRAINING
Presentation by Dr. Sam Kinyanjui-Head of Training, KEMRI Wellcome Trust
This presentation aimed to bring light on the role research centres play in doctoral training. Dr.
Kinyanjui began the presentation by pointing out that the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research
Programme (KWTRP) is based within the KEMRI Centre for Geographic Medical Research in Kilifi.
KWTRP’s core activities are funded by the Wellcome Trust. The centre conducts integrated
epidemiological, social, laboratory and clinical research in parallel, with results feeding into local and
international health policy.
The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research programme has three hubs in Kilifi, Nairobi and Mbale in
Eastern Uganda. The program has over 150 research projects in 20 counties in Kenya and has presence
in 18 African countries with over 300 collaborators.
The research personnel at the centre comprises of approximately 100 Scientists, 200 technical staff,
400 fieldworkers and 100 operation staff. Dr. Kinyanjui indicated that KWTRP publishes over 120
research papers per annum and has strong health systems support team.
Since 2006, the KWTRP has produced 80 PhDs and currently has 38 students enrolled for PhD
training. Out of the total number of PhDs produced, 34 are researchers at KWTRP, 26 are researchers
elsewhere, 9 are Lecturers at local universities and 5 are doing Health-related jobs.
Key Contributions to policy
Dr. Kinyanjui highlighted some of the key contributions that the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research
programme has made to policy in Kenya and this includes bed net usage and distribution policy, fluid
management of critically ill children, national and global malaria treatment guideline, research ethics
guidelines, pneumonia vaccines roll out studies, malaria vaccine trials, malnutrition rehabilitation
guidelines and provision of evidence to guide devolution of the health system. With the goal of the
centre being to create a critical mass of African research leaders, KWTRP has a working system of
developing research leaders, which is summarized in the figure below.
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CARTA’s 2 nd Vice Chancellor’s Meeting –Report of meeting proceedings – July 10-11, 2017