The room at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown was buzzing. Papers shuffled, laptops clicked open, and conversations carried the weight of possibility. For three days in early August, the National Science, Technology and Innovation Council of Sierra Leone (NSTIC-SL) under the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education hosted a workshop in Freetown, Sierra Leone, that asked a deceptively simple question: how do we build research councils across Africa on a foundation of evidence and resilience?

Into this space stepped Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director, together with Mark Naidoo, Manager: International Grants and Partnerships, both from the Directorate of Research Development at the University of the Free State (UFS). Invited by the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) – the lead implementation authority– they co facilitated sessions designed to help Sierra Leone strengthen its science, technology, and innovation systems.

The development of the strategy has been supported and funded by several international partners. These include the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI), Canada; the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa; the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation); the Government of Norway; SARIMA; and the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA).

Dr Taylor described his role as helping the council translate its ambitions into something practical, locally relevant, and sustainable. “My most important role during the workshop is to help translate NSTIC-SL’s mandate and ambitions into a coherent and practical institutional pathway,” he explained. “This involves creating a structured environment in which the council and its stakeholders can critically assess where the organisation is now, agree on where it needs to be, and determine what must be put in place to move from the current position to the desired future state.”

From strategy to implementation

The workshop focused on the foundations of an effective national science-granting council: governance, institutional arrangements, resource mobilisation, regional and cross-border research collaboration, and professionalisation of research management. Rather than rushing to produce a strategy document, they designed the sessions as the first phase of a longer process – gathering evidence, testing assumptions, and securing stakeholder input.

While Dr Taylor guided discussions on mandate, vision, and governance, Naidoo contributed specialist input on the systems, capabilities, and professional practices required to implement the council’s mandate. “A strong strategy requires capable people, fit-for-purpose systems, and sound management practices,” Dr Taylor noted. “Conversely, research and grant-management systems are most effective when they are aligned with a clear institutional strategy. Our combined contribution therefore connects strategic direction with operational capability.”

“This work speaks directly to the idea of responsible societal futures because it connects research, institutional capability, and public purpose,” Dr Taylor said. “A capable national science, technology, and innovation council can help ensure that limited research resources are directed towards priorities that matter to citizens, that funding decisions are transparent and evidence-informed, and that research results are translated into meaningful social and economic value.”

For the UFS, the engagement demonstrates how university expertise can contribute beyond the boundaries of the institution. “It positions the university as an active African partner capable of helping to strengthen the systems through which research, innovation, and development are advanced,” Dr Taylor noted.

Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at the UFS, reflected on the significance of the engagement. “Strong research systems are not built in isolation. They are cultivated through trusted partnerships. This engagement demonstrates the University of the Free State's commitment to advancing research excellence and innovation through meaningful African partnerships. By contributing our expertise to support institutional strengthening in Sierra Leone, we are helping to advance resilient research ecosystems that can generate lasting societal value and development impact across the continent.”

The initiative also aligns closely with the vision and work of the UFS Directorate of Research Development. Dr Taylor said, “Research excellence depends on more than just the quality of an individual research proposal. It also depends on the strength of the surrounding research ecosystem: the policies, systems, professional support, partnerships, and institutional leadership that enable research to succeed. By contributing this expertise to an African partner, the directorate is demonstrating both the transferability and the continental relevance of the capabilities developed at the UFS.”

The nomination by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education was both an honour and a responsibility. “It is deeply meaningful to be entrusted with contributing to an initiative of national importance,” Dr Taylor reflected. “We are entering another country’s institutional and policy environment, and our responsibility is to listen carefully, understand the context, and work with our partners to develop solutions that they can own and sustain.”

Prof Reddy echoed this observation, remarking: “What makes our participation significant is our dedicated focus on building long-term institutional capability rather than delivering short-term interventions. Through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and mutual learning, we are contributing to a stronger African research landscape that is better positioned to address shared challenges and unlock new opportunities for inclusive growth and innovation.”

In the bigger picture, the workshop is intended to help strengthen the connection between research investment and public value.

“My hope is that the workshop will help NSTIC-SL move towards an institutional model in which research is deliberately connected to Sierra Leone’s development priorities,” Dr Taylor said.

“Success would mean that the council is better positioned to support research that is excellent, inclusive, and ethically conducted, but also capable of informing policy, strengthening communities, supporting innovation, and contributing to social and economic development.”

Looking ahead, the workshop was only the beginning. Phase 2 will turn ideas into action. This stage will bring together government, universities, research institutions, and partners to finalise NSTIC-SL’s five-year plan, with a rolling budget and clear systems for monitoring progress. Dr Taylor explained: “Phase 2 should move the partnership from diagnosis and strategic agreement to institutionalisation. This means producing practical instruments, assigning responsibilities, and establishing a phased pathway. It should leave NSTIC-SL with more than a document; it should leave the council with the systems, capabilities, and partnerships required to put the strategy into practice.”

For the UFS, the engagement is part of a wider African story. It shows what can be achieved when institutions pool their expertise and treat capacity strengthening as a long-term partnership. In this regard, SARIMA has played an extremely important role and will continue to do so in the future.

Prof Vasu Reddy said, “The true measure of this partnership lies in the public value it creates. By strengthening research and innovation systems, we can translate knowledge into meaningful societal impact and sustainable development across Africa.”