The Development Research Up-take in Sub-Saharan Africa (DRUSSA) Program is committed to strengthening research uptake capacity and participation in the international development research system in 24 sub-Saharan universities across 12 countries. The goal is to improve accessibility and utilization of locally relevant research evidence to inform national and global development policy and practice. DRUSSA also works towards strengthening the capacity of policy makers in Uganda and Ghana to use research evidence. The programme is hosted by Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).

DRUSSA programme is offering policy fellowship opportunities to early career researchers that are based in Ugandan Universities. A series of Policy Fellowships for an academic placement within one of the three government ministries in Uganda have been made available. The participating Ministries are:

·         Ministry of Education and Sports

·         Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries

·         Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development

The Fellows will work closely with policy makers within one of the participating ministries to facilitate the inclusion of academic research in policy development, and to contribute to the fostering of stronger links between academia and consumers of research within government.  The Fellowships will fund six months’ salary for the academic (with an option of 12months half-time or 6months full-time), as well as accommodation and travel costs for temporary re-location to Kampala, if required. The Fellowship programme is part of a broader suite of new activities being undertaken by DRUSSA to strengthen the capacity of policy makers in Ghana and Uganda to use research evidence and foster greater collaboration with researchers. The programme will seek to raise the level of discussion around research evidence at senior ministry levels, equip technical staff with practical skills and support senior civil servants as they begin to encourage a culture of evidence-informed approaches to policy making and policy implementation. The policy fellows will be central to ensuring the success of the programme.

We invite applications from academics with expertise appropriate to one of the ministries’ areas of policy interest, to take up Fellowships as early as January 2015. Applicants should have completed a doctoral degree, have a minimum of three years academic experience and, ideally, should have experience engaging with policy making institutions.

Applications should include curriculum vitae, with at least three professional references and should be sent by 15^th October, 2014 to:

The Executive Secretary,
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology;
Plot 6, Kimera Road, Ntinda;
P.O. Box 6884 Kampala-Uganda;
Telephone +256-414-705500; info@uncst.go.ug.