The course, the first of its kind in Africa, prepares students for careers in diverse fields

Nairobi-Kenya-Public policy practitioners and students in Africa now have a chance to study a specialised masters’ course offered in twelve universities, and uniquely designed to meet the continent’s needs, which was launched in Nairobi, Kenya today.

The Master of Research and Public Policy (MRPP) has been developed over the last three years through collaboration between the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) and 12 African universities.

The course, the first of its kind in Africa, prepares students for careers in diverse fields, including: government, universities, think tanks, research organisations, civil society organisations, media and development agencies.

The course content was developed by academics from the partner universities, with input from scholars from respected European public policy institutions.

It equips students to identify and address national developmental challenges and issues that affect people in their daily lives, such as security, management of natural resources, hunger, HIV/AIDS and women’s empowerment.

Students taking up the two-year full time course have a choice of two career pathways: Research and Policy Practice.

“The Research option familiarises students with the use of data to undertake policy research or pursue advanced scholarship, while Policy Practice equips students to use research to influence, inform or shape public policy,” said Prof Tade Akin Aina, the Executive Director of PASGR.

He added “MRPP is one of the key pillars of our community of practice and thought working together to build excellence in research, training and higher education for public policy in Africa”.

The launch event in Nairobi was presided over by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, Mr Henry Rotich, and the Chief Justice, Dr Willy Mutunga. Other dignitaries at the event were: The deputy chair of the Education Committee in the Kenyan Parliament, Hon Julius Kibiwott Melly, vice chancellors and academics, and PASGR Board member Amb Prof.Judith Bahemuka.

It was also attended by students already enrolled in the programme, researchers and policy practitioners from NGOs, development partners and PASGR staff.

Speaking before officially launching the programme, Mr Rotich noted that effective public policy could only be a reality if the people in charge possessed a deep understanding of the challenges that face Africa, based on solid and credible research.

“Having seen the course content of this new programme, I have no doubt the MRPP will contribute towards efficient, effective and transparent public policy,” he said.  Drawing from his personal experience while beginning his postgraduate studies, Mr Rotich expressed his intent to lead a public service fellowships initiative through which students could seek funding to undertake the MRPP.

The programme has already been rolled out in eight universities where 150 have enrolled, with the first cohort set to graduate next year. It is being offered in Egerton and Maseno universities in Kenya; University of Dar es Salaam and Mzumbe in Tanzania; Jos, and Ibadan universities in Nigeria; and Ugandan Christian University and Uganda Martyrs University.
As he launched the programme, Kenyan Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga stated that research was key to identifying African interests, and that the continent’s interests should in turn inform Africa’s relations with the West.

Prof. Aina thanked the partnering universities for their diligence and contribution to the realisation of the programme.

“The MRPP is working, thanks to the efforts of everybody who has been there throughout the journey — my predecessor, the Steering Committee and PASGR colleagues,” he said.  “For us at PASGR, the MRPP is special as one of the key pathways to building the next generation of public policy leaders and researchers in Africa”.

Academics and students who spoke during the launch gave accolades to the new programme, observing that it was already transforming teaching and learning at the universities.

They were full of praise for the innovative pedagogy, which embraces interactive teaching approaches, such as simulations, debates, role-plays and project-based learning, field experience and case studies.

Founder universities

The twelve founder universities are:  University of Dar es Salaam, University of Ghana, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, University of Jos, Egerton University, Maseno University, Mzumbe University, Uganda Christian University, Uganda Martyrs’ University, University of Sierra Leone and University of Botswana.

Course structure and delivery

The MRPP is a full-time two-year programme covered in four semesters, including field experience and thesis preparation.

The programme entails five courses in each of the two semesters during the first year. This is followed by a long break for field experience in a policy or research institution during which students refine research ideas and start data collection. In the second year, three courses are offered, while the rest of the time is devoted to thesis development.

About PASGR

The Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) is an independent, non-partisan pan-African not-for-profit organisation established in 2011 and located in Nairobi, Kenya.  Currently engaged in more than 12 African countries, PASGR works to enhance research excellence in governance and public policy that contributes to the overall wellbeing of the citizens.

In partnership with individual academics and researchers, higher education institutions, research think tanks, civil society organisations, business and policy communities both in the region and internationally, PASGR supports the production and dissemination of policy relevant research; designs and delivers suites of short professional development courses for researchers and policy actors; and facilitates the development of collaborative higher education programmes.

Stories Continues after ad

Guinea-Bissau’s President Jose Mario Vaz has dismissed the government following a rift with Prime Minister Domingos Pereira.

The two men are said to have disagreed on a number of issues including the use of aid money and the return to Guinea-Bissau of a former army chief of staff.

The West African state returned to civilian rule in June last year.

With a history of coups, no elected leader has served a full term since independence from Portugal in 1974.

Many senior military officers have also been accused of turning the country into a narco-state as it a major hub for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe.

• BBC Africa Live: News updates

BBC Africa’s Zenaida Machado says the announcement follows weeks of tension between the president and the prime minister.

In a televised address, Mr Vaz said a simple reshuffle would not be sufficient to solve the problem.

“It is public knowledge that there is a crisis undermining the proper working of institutions,” he said.

‘Unpredictable consequences’

The UN Security Council has asked the leaders to resume dialogue.

Earlier in the week, Portugal warned that development aid could be at risk if the country slipped back into instability.

One of the dismissed ministers said that the consequences of the sackings were “unpredictable”.

“If the state does not work, if people are in the street, we don’t know what can happen,” Angelo Regala, the former communications minister, told BBC Afrique.

The African Union representative to Guinea-Bissau, Ovideo Pequeno, said that the military was unlikely to get involved.

He told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme that top commanders had said they consider it a political issue, which was not their concern.

• Five coups since 1980
• One of the poorest countries in the world
• Major hub for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe

Stories Continues after ad

The head of Rwanda’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) Lieutenant General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake has arrived in Kigali.

Karake, who had been arrested in the United Kingdom on June 23on the strength of a war crimes arrest warrant issued by Spanish Judge Andreu Merrelles, was recently set free by the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the UK.

Earlier, another court in the UK had ordered that Karake, who was in 2008 indicted together with 39 other Rwanda Patriotic Front/Army (RPF/A) officers, be released after paying a bail of one million Pound Sterling.

Stories Continues after ad

North Korea has reportedly executed its vice premier for voicing opposition to the country’s leader, Kim Jong-Un.

Choe Yong-Gon, the vice finance minister of South Korea, was said to have been killed by firing squad in May this year after he spoke out against Kim Jong-Un’s forestry policies.

An anonymous source made the claims to a South Korean intelligence agency.

While the 63-year-old’s death is yet to be verified, his name has not been mentioned in North Korea state media since October last year.

Choe has also not been spotted in public since December last year, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry – which deals with all ties with their neighbouring country.

The ministry said it was “closely monitoring the possibility of any changes in Choe’s circumstances”.

He was appointed as one of seven vice premiers in June last year, with his appointment seen as an attempt by Kim Jong-Un to retain close ties with South Korea.

If his death is confirmed he would be the second high-level execution in the notoriously secretive North Korea this year.

In April, defence minister Hyon Yong-Choi was brutally executed by anti-aircraft fire after he apparently fell asleep during military rallies.

South Korea intelligence has also alleged that Kim Jong-Un ordered the execution of 15 officials in the first four months of 2015.

Stories Continues after ad