The University for Development Studies (UDS), through its Centre for Research Innovation and Partnership Services (CRIPS), has successfully held a three-day training workshop at the UDS guest house on the 13th to 15th November to enhance the research capacity of its faculty members. The training is part of the Vice Chancellor’s initiative to build the university’s capacity for cutting-edge experimental research.

The training, organized in partnership with Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA), aimed to equip UDS faculty with practical skills in designing and implementing a standard in research methodology. Some of the IPA officials that facilitated this training were Ms. Celine Wuyes, Mr Solomon Samanhyia and Ms Caroline Nyagato. Speaking at the event, the Director of Partnerships at IPA, Ms. Sarah De Tournemire, commended the collaboration, describing it as a strategic move towards addressing rural development challenges. “The UDS-IPA collaboration reflects our shared commitment to leveraging evidence-based research for impactful rural development,” she said.

Mr. Salifu Amadu, Country Director of IPA, highlighted that the training marks the beginning of activities outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between UDS and IPA. “This workshop is the first step in what promises to be a series of impactful collaborations,” he remarked, emphasizing the long-term nature of the partnership and the beginning of such training.

Director of CRIPS, Prof. Awal Abdul-Rahaman, expressed gratitude to IPA for their support and reaffirmed UDS’s dedication to the success of the partnership. “We are committed to ensuring that this collaboration yields tangible results for both institutions and the communities we serve,” he stated.

This training shows UDS’s commitment to advancing evidence-based research, a critical element in its mission to drive sustainable development in northern Ghana and beyond. The university’s collaboration with IPA reinforces its role as a hub for innovative research addressing development challenges in rural areas.

Story by; Abdul-Rahman Rashida and Abdul Hamid Hamdia Maya.