Govt funding for university research projects drops by Sh1.5 billion

Data from the State Department of Higher Education and Research shows that government funding allocated to research projects in universities and the National Research Fund has witnessed a significant decline, dropping from Sh2 billion to Sh500 million this year.

Higher Education and Research Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala attributed the sharp reduction to underutilisation of the annual allocation by researchers, a claim vehemently contested by stakeholders within the research community.

Addressing participants at the National Stakeholders Engagement on Research Science, Technology, and Innovation (RSTI) conference, Inyangala emphasised the necessity for institutions to diversify their funding sources and actively pursue grants to offset the substantial deficit.

She noted that, despite the challenges, the government remains committed to enhancing its allocation to research to improve services.

“The government has so far achieved to allocate 0.8 per cent of its annual budget from the two per cent committed and will help drive the country's research initiatives. We recognise the need to create a conducive research ecosystem in Kenya. We are committed to deepening our partnerships with sector players to drive cutting-edge research and ensure policies are informed by robust data and practical insights,” Inyangala said.

She urged universities to forge more partnerships and collaborations to pool resources and facilitate the commercialization of research findings for broader societal benefit.

National Research Fund CEO Dickson Andala said the fund had supported 19 institutions and universities through infrastructure grants for research ecosystems.

He said the fund, in partnership with the private sector, had supported research with more than Sh1 billion allocated in the last two years.

Florah Kariuki from the Ministry of Education said Africa only accounts for 1.1 per cent of research output globally, stressing that there is a need for institutions to strengthen their research proposals to attract more grants as well as build more collaborations.

Tom Mboya University Vice Chancellor Charles Ochola also called for the commercialisation of research to actualise research findings that will address the country's challenges.

He said the university had inked a 14-year partnership with Irvine University of California to undertake malaria research in the Lake Victoria region.

The university, he said, has also partnered with Lake Victoria region county governments to inform research-based key interventions to help counties address local residents' concerns.