Determinants of International Research Collaboration in Uganda: Case Study Research Registered at Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (2015-2019)

International Research Collaboration (IRC) has been on the rise globally. However, comprehensive analysis of the drivers of IRC in many developing countries remains lacking. This study applies a binary logistic model to examine the determinants of IRC in Uganda while a beta regression was used for the propensity to collaborate. Using retrospective data from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, results indicate that IRC in Uganda is determined by gender, region where researcher attained their highest qualification, research sponsor, research Field, Research type and research budget. The study shows that developing countries need to develop robust research systems to be “effective partners” in IRC. More gender-inclusive research policies are critical and IRC should be framed around national priorities and intentionally pursued within university research systems

Gender Imperatives of International Research Collaboration in a Small Research System: A Case Study on Research from Uganda

The nexus of gender and development has become a recurring theme in international development practice and theory. Increasingly, gender matters are taking centre-stage in the global development discourse as issues relating to gender justice are redefining contemporary development debates. Various development leitmotifs are currently being shaped by narratives about howgender is recasting traditional growth patterns in the developing world. Over the last twenty years, specific policy reforms in many developing countries have highlighted issues of gender-mainstreaming and gender-inclusive growth as a yardstick for development. Gender has become a compound term with a plethora of meanings (Cornwall, 2007). Terms like the “Gender dividend” are becoming more mainstreamed in contemporary development literature. The structuralchanges in the global political economy are continuously readjusting to recognize the value-add or contribution of gender to the economy. Whereas the broader definition of gender encapsulates the various norms, cultures and other forms of social behavior, this research problematizes the role of gender in international research collaboration. While several studies (including Publication 1) have found that gender is a significant predictor of a researcher‟s participation in IRC, this study set out: To establish how the features of a research team determine the likelihood of a researcher being male and female; To characterize the role of gender in shaping research teams involved in internationally collaborative research. Using Feature Analysis to model the influence of research features on the gender of the research, a binary logistic regression was undertaken with a gradient boosting model to increase precision. In addition, text-mining analysis, machine learning and natural language processing were also used to examine the role of gender in research teams of research projects registered at Uganda National Council of Science and Technology. The results indicate that the researcher's role is the most influential factor (38.1%), followed by the gender of the lead researcher (23.5%), estimated budget (7.7%), nationality (Ugandan) (7.1%), and age (5.3%). These factors strongly influence the gender composition of research teams, suggesting that the assigned role, gender itself, financial resources, nationality, and age play significant roles in determining the genderof the lead researcher. Other factors such as professional experience, project duration, field of research, and qualifications also have some influence, although to a lesser extent. These findings emphasize the importance of considering these factors whenpromoting gender diversity and equality in research projects. The research concludes that in order to make IRC teams more gender inclusive, a critical appraisal of other factors needs to be undertaken. Gender-inclusive policies should make further considerations on how research teams are constructed (or led) and the intersectionality that informs those choices. This broader outlook will make IRC more inclusive

Access to Finance for Youth SMEs in Rwanda: A Look at Youth SME Financing Impediments From A Policy Perspective

In many developing countries and developed countries alike, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the lead drivers of job creation and economic development. This review paper explores access to finance for youth-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), analyses youth SME financing impediments from a policy perspective and concludes with a consolidated view and relevant recommendations to enable youth in developing countries like Rwanda to build thriving businesses