Expanded Strengthening of Makerere University's Research Administration Capacity Program (E-SMAC) - Abstract
Uganda, a low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), faces a high burden of disease, particularly communicable
diseases, which accounts for over 50% of the morbidity and mortality in the country. Over the past ten years,
Makerere University, the leading research-intensive institution of higher learning in the country, has become a
leader on the African continent in research that is working to address some of the highest impact health problems.
In just a decade, Makerere University has become the third highest recipient of biomedical research in Africa
with over $100 million in funding from the NIH alone. Makerere Universities College of Health Sciences is host
to the highest number of researchers and awardees of 25 active grants from NIH to Uganda. The growth in
research funding brings with it administrative requirements, such as financial management, grants management,
reporting processes and procurement systems. Alongside this growth in grants, there needs to be strong
research administration support staff who are experienced in the regulatory requirements and systems that
funders like the NIH use, as well as be able to be informed about regulatory changes and educate staff and
faculty in turn. At Makerere University, the research administration capacity, until recently, had not been able to
keep up with this rapid growth in funding. To address this discrepancy, the University is committed to supporting
the strengthening of research administration infrastructure for staff through continuing education, as well as the
establishment of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability.
To do this, Makerere University College of Health Sciences is partnering with Northwestern University Havey
Institute for Global Health. This project is a continuation of work that the two institutions, longtime partners, have
engaged in since 2021 to share knowledge and practices to support the growth of research administration
infrastructure. Strengthening staff and institutional capacity in research administration at Makerere University will
cement a positive research culture and environment and benefit all who are working to improve the health of
disadvantaged populations within Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa. Specific aims of this project are: To
strengthen NIH grants administration at Makerere University College of Health Sciences by providing senior
researcher administrators with advanced training and mentored exposure to pre and post award best emergency
response grants management practices and standard operating procedures; and to develop training standard
operating practices (SOPs) for enhancing the implementation of institutional best grants management practices
at Makerere University and other Ugandan research partner institutions for best practices and continuous
trainings in both pre and post award
