THE Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) has called on private sector to take an effective role in supporting the funding research projects.
COSTECH Director General Dr Amos Nungu has said the initiative will help efforts to narrow gaps in financing research in the country.
He made this call at the roundtable discussion on ‘Research Chair Support and Implementation’ held here over the weekend. Also in attendance was the Zanzibar Planning Commission Chairperson Dr Afua Mohamed
“It is a fact that funding of research projects remains a challenge. We really need to move faster, so the traditional reliance on government alone needs to be supported by the private sector. We must strengthen Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in research,” Ms Mohamed said.
She argues that the involvement of the private sector is crucial for the country to move faster in development because research will guide the government to achieve its objectives.
Dr Nungu told researchers and academicians from various universities in the country and representatives from the ministries of Finance and Planning in both mainland and Zanzibar that it is high time the private sector get engaged in funding research projects.
The meeting was held at the ‘Zanzibar Fisheries and Marine Research Institute (ZAFIRI).
“The recuced Research Chairs at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)-Arusha, and the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA)-Morogoro makes it easier to get linked in funding research projects, with focus on national (government) and private sector priority areas.
Research Chairs are explained as ‘world-class faculty whose positions are supported by targeted funding from private sector. Research Chair positions are used to attract and retain the best research talent from around the world.
The roundtable discussion was also attended by representatives of several business companies including Director of Corporate Affairs of the Bakhressa Group of Companies Mr Hassan Sufian.
Mr Sufian said that although private sector has been supporting development through ‘Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), they still need to continue strengthening collaboration in supporting research projects.
