African Research Councils unite to enhance digital funding systems

REPRESENTATIVES from 12 African countries are gathered in Bulawayo for a three-day Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) meeting for Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the implementation of the digital grant management system.

The meeting seeks to explore practical strategies for system customisation, long-term sustainability, and future collaboration aimed at transforming the continent’s research and innovation landscape.

Organised by the Association of African Universities (AAU), in collaboration with the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ), the “Peer-to-Peer Learning Meeting” runs from 10 to 12 December 2025 under SGCI Phase II+, bringing together core information technology and grants management experts from selected Science Granting Councils.

This includes councils from Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Namibia, Ghana, Senegal, Botswana, and Uganda.

The meeting is expected to build on ongoing collaborative efforts by the AAU and other partners with the participating councils to strengthen digital grants management capacity across the SGCI network.

The Digital Grants Management System (DGMS) was introduced and supported under SGCI Phase II to enhance the efficiency and transparency of research funding processes across participating councils.

In his remarks, Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) executive director, Dr Partson Chikudza said as SGCI Phase II concludes, there is a critical need to consolidate the progress made and maintain momentum into the next phase of the Initiative.

“The 2025 Peer-to-Peer Learning Meeting is a timely opportunity for councils to take stock of achievements, lessons learned, and challenges encountered in rolling out their DGMS platforms,” he said.

“It will specifically focus on discussions around the upgrading, scalability, and sustainability of these digital grant systems.

“By convening council grants and technical officers, the meeting aims to deepen peer learning and facilitate technical discussions on how to further enhance the implementation and adoption of DGMS across the councils.”

Dr Chikudza said ensuring the long-term sustainability of the digital grant management systems, particularly their scalability and continued adoption across councils, is a key driver for this meeting.

Ultimately, the peer-to-peer learning exchange will inform planning for the next phase of SGCI support (Phase III), helping to “build momentum” so that the gains achieved under Phase II plus are not only preserved but scaled up in the future, he added.

Dr Chikudza said practices and challenges of implementing DGMS in participating councils under SGCI Phase II plus include displaying the new consolidated DGMS version, allowing councils to assess system updates, identify remaining gaps, and provide feedback to strengthen usability and readiness for wider adoption.

“We aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences among councils to learn from one another’s innovations in system usage, customisation, and grant management workflows. Councils will present their DGMS experiences and practical insights to improve uptake and effectiveness,” he said.

“We also want to plan enhancements for scalability and sustainability. Collaboratively, we will identify strategies and requirements for upgrading and sustaining the DGMS moving forward.

“This meeting will generate agreed-upon priority actions and recommendations to guide future improvements and Phase III initiatives.”

Dr Chikudza said the objectives of the Peer-to-Peer Learning Meeting are to consolidate lessons learned, success stories, and best practices in DGMS.

“This documentation will inform the participating councils and guide future SGCI activities related to digital grants management.

“This will include agreed priority improvements and strategies to ensure sustainability post-SGCI Phase two plus. These recommendations are expected to feed into planning for the next phase of SGCI support,” he said.

Dr Chikudza said the meeting aims at showcasing digital grant management systems and sharing first-hand experiences.

He said the peer-led presentations will highlight each council’s achievements, innovations, and challenges in implementing the DGMS. By hearing directly from fellow councils, participants gain contextual insights and can identify replicable practices and solutions.

Brief question and answer sessions will follow each presentation to allow clarification and deeper exploration of specific issues.

“The agenda features facilitated roundtable sessions on strategic topics that are common to all councils. For example, one roundtable will focus on understanding the requirements and workflows for conducting joint grant calls involving multiple funding agencies,” said Dr Chikudza.

“During these discussions, all participants, regardless of role, have the opportunity to contribute ideas, share experiences, and collectively brainstorm solutions.

“The roundtable format encourages open dialogue and equal participation, leveraging the diverse perspectives in the room to address complex, cross-cutting issues.”