Online Reporter
Takunda Gambiza
Herald Reporter
THE Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) has urged African Science Granting Councils to strengthen digital systems in research funding as a three-day peer-to-peer learning meeting opened in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
In his opening remarks, RCZ executive director Dr Partson Chikudza said the engagement was a critical platform for councils to improve the Digital Grants Management System (DGMS), accelerate digital reform and agree on priority actions that will shape the next phase of implementation.
The meeting brought together councils and IT officers from 12 African countries, including Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Namibia, Ghana, Senegal, Botswana and Uganda, who are participating in sessions aimed at strengthening the Digital Grants Management System across the continent.
Dr Chikudza said the global research environment was evolving rapidly, leaving no room for outdated manual processes.
“The call to embrace digital transformation is no longer optional; it is imperative,” he said.
“Going digital enhances transparency, efficiency, accountability, and inclusivity in grants management.”
Dr Chikudza added that the Bulawayo meeting would allow participating countries to reflect on progress and identify what still needs strengthening for their national systems.
“This workshop provides a valuable platform for councils to reflect on progress made in implementing Online Grants Management Systems,” he said.
The RCZ head stressed that digitalisation was central to improving the effectiveness of science funding across Africa.
“As custodians of national research and innovation systems, we must position ourselves at the forefront of digitalisation to remain relevant and impactful,” he said.
He emphasised that collaboration and shared technical learning were essential for success.
“Research and innovation thrive where knowledge flows freely, systems are agile, and technology is harnessed to turn ideas into impact,” he said, urging delegates to actively participate in the sessions and use the knowledge gained to strengthen their institutional systems.
Dr Chikudza added that the meeting should lead to meaningful outcomes.
“Let us translate learning into action, collaboration into sustainable systems, and digital investments into tangible benefits for our research communities,” he said.
Representing the Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Professor Olusola Oyewole, AAU Project Coordinator Mrs Ruth Dickson Nyarko, commended RCZ for hosting the engagement and acknowledged the work put into preparing the meeting.
Prof Oyewole said the DGMS was a significant tool for modernising research management across the continent and improving service delivery.
“The Online Grants Management System is one of the most tangible expressions of our shared vision to modernise research funding and improve how we deliver services to the scientific community,” he said.
Prof Oyewole highlighted the value of councils sharing their experiences candidly.
“Solutions emerging from real experiences and one’s experiences are the most powerful resources we can offer each other,” he said.
He encouraged participants to collaborate openly and make full use of the learning sessions, noting that the system’s strength depends on how well councils customise it, support users and resolve implementation challenges.
