On Thursday 30th of March Diana Coates the Managing Director of Organisation Systems Design joined Nyasha Musandu, R2A's Learning Coordinator to have a cup of tea and discussion about capacity building and how it relates to research uptake. Diana drew on her experiences leading the DRUSSA programme, which aimed to strengthen capacity for uptake management across 22 universities in 12 different countries, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

1. Episode 3
‘A cup of tea with….’
Diana Coates
Managing Director, Organisation
Systems Design

2. House keeping
• 5 minute introduction by Nyasha Musandu
• 15 minute discussion with Diana Coates
• 10 minute Q&A with the audience
• When you have a question please type it into the
question box and we will share it with the panel
and participants.
• If you do not have a chance to ask your question
please send it in via email or social media using
the hashtag #R2AWebinar.

3. Poll
In your experience how important do you think
building capacity for research uptake is to
achieve project goals?
Very Important
Important
Not Important
Not applicable

4. Research Uptake in
Developing Regions
• Capacity Building
– Organisational
– Individual
– Systemic
• Project: Development Research Uptake in Sub-
Saharan Africa (DRUSSA)
Website: WWW.DRUSSA.NET
DFID overview: https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/projects/GB-1-202004

5. Research Uptake Capacity
• Must have a facilitating environment
– In the project, individual, organisational
– Research users– audiences and accessibility
• Meeting expectations of users of research
– Evidence
– Timeous
– Relevant
– Ethics
• Key issues–identify the audiences and the
communication tools they use

6. Some Examples of Uptake
from the DRUSSA Programme
• http://www.drussa.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2871%3Ares
earch-uptake-success-stories-a-common-thread&catid=209%3Aits-happening-
here&Itemid=307&lang=en
• http://www.drussa.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2875%3Awo
rking-with-policy-makers&catid=202%3Arum-in-action&Itemid=303&lang=en
• http://www.drussa.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&
id=211&Itemid=297&lang=en
• http://www.drussa.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2837%3Asta
keholder-engagement-at-cput&catid=209%3Aits-happening-here&Itemid=307&lang=en
• http://www.drussa.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2765%3Afoo
d-security-economic-empowerment-improved-livelihoods-all-rolled-up-in-the-kenyan-
indigenous-chicken-value-chain&catid=209%3Aits-happening-
here&Itemid=307&lang=en

7. Further Resources
Knowledge Brokers Forum
http://www.knowledgebrokersforum.org/
DRUSSA.NET Document Index
www.drussa.net
DRUSSA Digital Engagement Strategy
http://www.drussa.net/getfile.php?id=1300

8. Join us for the next webinar
Episode 4) Thursday 27th April ‘Communications’
with INASP.
Episode 5) Thursday 25th May ‘Monitoring &
Evaluation’ with John Young, ODI RAPID.
SIGN UP HERE

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