SIDA’S GLOBAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES ANNUAL REPORTING INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE PROGRAMME (ISP) ANNUAL REPORT 2015 Prof. Ermias Dagne preparing a field visit with teachers and students of Jijiga University, Ethiopia. (Courtesy if IPICS ALNAP) Mr. Heng Savoeun explaining students’ posters of research projects in chemistry to Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Cambodia. The Swedish ambassador, Anna Maj Hultgård, to the right. (Courtesy of IPICS CAB:01) Cover picture: Peter Sundin, Head of ISP, greeting Prof. Mohamed Garib Bilal, Vice President of Tanzania, with Prof. Eva Åkesson, VC of Uppsala Univ., and Prof Cuthbert Kimambo, Deputy VC – Research, Univ. Dar es Salaam, at the conference ”Learning Together For Change. Advancing Education For All Through Higher Education”, at the Nelson Mandela African Institution for Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania, organized by the Association of Swedish Higher Education (SUHF). (Courtesy of ISP) CONTENTS Section 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 1 Section 2: ORGANISATION .................................................................................................................................. 6 Section 3: OBJECTIVES, OPERATION AND RELEVANCE ............................................................................. 7 3.1 ISP’s Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................. 7 3.2 ISP’s Method of Operation ........................................................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Relevance of ISP Support for Development ......................................................................................................... 8 3.3.1 Tracing PhD graduates 2008-‐2013 ............................................................................................................... 8 3.3.2 Groups and networks phased out of support 2003-‐2014 – present activities ........................... 9 Section 4: STRUCTURE ....................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 The ISP Board ................................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.2 The ISP Executive Committee ................................................................................................................................. 14 4.3 The ISP Scientific Reference Groups .................................................................................................................... 14 4.4 The ISP Staff .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Section 5: PROGRAM-‐WIDE RESULTS ........................................................................................................... 17 5.1 Activities ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.1.1 Research groups .................................................................................................................................................. 17 5.1.2 Scientific networks ............................................................................................................................................. 20 5.1.3 Strategic activities ............................................................................................................................................... 22 5.2 Achieved Outputs and Outcomes ........................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 Examples of research findings ....................................................................................................................... 26 5.2.2 RBM logical framework follow-‐up ............................................................................................................... 29 5.2.3 Expenditures by supported activities ......................................................................................................... 38 5.2.4 Students in supported activities ................................................................................................................... 45 5.2.5 Dissemination by supported activities ....................................................................................................... 46 5.3 Outputs and Outcomes that were not achieved ............................................................................................. 50 5.3.1 ISP level .................................................................................................................................................................... 50 5.3.2 Supported activity level .................................................................................................................................... 50 5.4 Publications ................................................................................................................................................................... 53 5.4.1 Chemistry ................................................................................................................................................................ 54 5.4.2 Mathematics .......................................................................................................................................................... 65 5.4.3 Physics ...................................................................................................................................................................... 70 5.5 Academic Theses ......................................................................................................................................................... 78 5.5.1 PhD theses ............................................................................................................................................................. 78 5.5.2 Other postgraduate theses ............................................................................................................................. 81 Section 6: APPLICATIONS AND IMPACT ....................................................................................................... 91 6.1 Use of Results and Skills ........................................................................................................................................... 91 6.1.1 Use of research results ...................................................................................................................................... 91 6.1.2 Policy influence and opportunities .............................................................................................................. 92 6.1.3 Changed practices ............................................................................................................................................... 95 6.1.4 Technical development and services .......................................................................................................... 95 6.2 Outreach .......................................................................................................................................................................... 97 6.3 Strengths and Benefits to Researchers and Partners .................................................................................. 99 6.3.1 Awards, honors and promotions ................................................................................................................. 99 6.3.2 Post doc and scientific visits ........................................................................................................................ 103 6.4 Communication of Research Results ................................................................................................................ 111 6.4.1 Communication of research results at scientific conferences and meetings ......................... 111 6.4.2 Other communications ................................................................................................................................... 136 6.4.3 Arranged conferences, workshops, training courses, and other meetings ............................. 139 SECTION 7: OTHER PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ......................................................................................... 146 7.1 Sida assignments ........................................................................................................................................................ 147 7.1.1 Ethiopia .................................................................................................................................................................. 147 7.1.2 Mozambique ........................................................................................................................................................ 147 7.1.3 Tanzania ................................................................................................................................................................ 147 7.1.4 Uganda ................................................................................................................................................................... 148 7.1.5 Payment of subsistence allowances to Sida bilateral students ..................................................... 148 7.1.6 Student activities ............................................................................................................................................... 148 7.2 Other activities ............................................................................................................................................................ 148 7.2.1 Collaboration ....................................................................................................................................................... 148 7.2.2 Dissemination ..................................................................................................................................................... 150 7.2.3 Minor Field Study fellowships ..................................................................................................................... 151 7.2.4 Seminars, meetings, and visits ..................................................................................................................... 152 7.3 Obituary .......................................................................................................................................................................... 155 Section 8: ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .......................................................................................... 157 SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY International Science Programme Annual Report 2014 The Annual Report, since 2010, essentially follows “Sida’s Global Research Programmes Annual Reporting: Guiding Principles and Reporting Format”, provided in June 2010. Objective, Structure and Organisation, and Relevance (Sections 2 – 4) Objective The objective of the International Science Programme (ISP), Uppsala University, is to contribute to the development of active and sustainable environments for higher education and scientific research in developing countries, within chemistry, mathematics, and physics, in order to increase the domestic production and use of results relevant for the fight against poverty. Structure and Organisation The support is collaborative and long-‐term, with a strong local ownership. Support is provided to institutionally based research groups, and to scientific networks. It includes cooperation with research groups at more advanced host institutions at Swedish universities, in other Nordic and European countries, and in the regions. ISP also administers some bilateral research programs, supported by Sida. ISP is at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Uppsala University. It has three subprograms: • International Programme in the Physical Sciences (IPPS, since 1961) • International Programme in the Chemical Sciences (IPICS, since 1970) • International Programme in the Mathematical Sciences (IPMS, since 2002) In 2015, ISP operated the core program on contributions from Sida (33 million SEK), Uppsala University (3.25 million SEK) and Stockholm University (1 million SEK). A Board and an Executive Committee to the Board is governing ISP. Each subprogram has a Scientific Reference Group to guide activities. The Board and the reference groups have participants representing institutions outside Uppsala University and Sweden. The operation of ISP is regulated in an ordinance established by the Swedish government in 1988. In 2015, ISP had six scientific and seven administrative staff members. Four additional staff member contributed with research, evaluation and monitoring, and project coordination. Relevance The relevance of ISP to development lies mainly in the activities of supported research groups and scientific networks, and the substainability of these activities after ISP support has been phased out. In 2015, two studies were carried out; one pertaining the fate of PhD graduates 2008-‐2013, and one regarding the continued activities of research groups and networks after ISP phased out its financial support in the period 2003-‐2014. More than 90% of the graduates tracked currently work in their home countries or in the adjacent regions. Many of them are still active as researchers at universities and scientific institutions. Nearly 80% of formerly supported research groups and scientific networks are still active in research, continuously securing grants from other sources and producing scientific results and graduates. Those few reporting no present activities may still have a track of graduates, trained within the frame of ISP support, that now contribute to development from other platforms. 1 Activities and Results (Sections 5 – 6) Supported research groups and scientific networks In 2015, ISP supported 39 research groups and 20 scientific networks. There were 19 research groups in chemistry, one in mathematics, and 19 in physics. In nine of the twelwe Swedish focus countries totally 33 research groups were supported, including a new chemistry groups in Uganda, in the field of environmental chemistry. Support to two mathematics groups, in Cambodia and Laos was phased out. They received continued support, however, through a new mathematics network, South East Asian Mathematics Network (SEAMaN), also including mathematicians in Myanmar. Six research groups were supported in two non-‐focus countries, Laos and Zimbabwe, four in chemistry and two in physics. In addition, 20 scientific networks were supported, one of which (SEAMaN) received its first year of support. Support was phased out to the chemistry network ALNAP (African Laboratory for Natural Products), coordinated from Ethiopia, having its final year of ISP-‐supported activities in 2015, and to RAFPE (Research Network in Africa on Pollution of the Environment), coordinated from Burkina Faso, having no ISP-‐supported activities since 2014. Strategic activities Following the Strategic Plan 2013-‐2017, each year a strategy action plan is established. In 2015, strategic activities addressed five areas; 1) Gender equality promotion, were two gender grants were awarded among applicants from supported groups and networks; 2) Evaluation of previous collaboration, where a study of former collaboration in Sri Lanka and Thailand was concluded and a report drafted, and two studies were carried out of former PhD graduates and of groups and networks phased out of support; 3) Information and communication, where brief, popular versions of the annual reports 2008-‐2012 and 2014 were issued; 4) Fund raising and other supplementary funding, where another five years of Stockholm university contributions to ISP were secured, a fund raising stratergy was drafted, and new data on institutional co-‐funding of supported research groups and scientific networks showed that 45% of the total resources had such origin; and 5) a certificated of collaboration was drafted, to be offered groups and networks phased out of support. Major outputs and outcomes Groups and networks reported 347 active PhD students (20% female), and 636 students training for MSc, MPhil or Licentiate degrees (29% female), benefiting directly or indirectly from ISP support. About 33% of the PhD students, and 4% of the Master students were trained in sandwich programs. In total, 53 PhD and 143 MSc (etc.) students graduated. Most of the PhD graduates (28) were trained in local programs, 21% of them female, whereas 25 were trained in “sandwich” programs, 8% of them female. All graduated MSc (etc.) students were trained in local programs, and 25% of these graduates were female. In 2015, fellow evenings with participation students and associates in the Stockholm/Uppsala region were held twice. The research groups and networks disseminated more than 600 scientific papers as publications or at conferences. There were 257 publications in scientific journals and 13 book chapters or other single scientific or polular publications. The publications in journals were to 43% in journals listed with impact factors in Web of Science. ISP was acknowledged in 36% of the chemistry journal publications, in 10% of the mathematics, and in 42% of the physics ones, respectively. There were 349 contributions to scientific conferences. Most contributions were to international conferences (125, 78% oral), and there were 104 contributions to regional and 120 to national/local conferences, 80% and 91% of them oral, respectively. Groups and networks arranged 94 scientific meetings attended by more than 8,500 participants. 2 Research findings Research findings were reported for example in the fields of chemical catalysis, conducting polymers, coordination chemistry, electrochemistry, environmental chemistry, food chemistry, medical technology, meteorology, and natural products chemistry. Results based management logical framework performance indicators ISP’s results based management (RBM) logical framework was established in 2012 and refined in 2013, along with 24 outcome performance indicators linked to three specific objectives. In 2014 and 2015 efforts were made to calculate the indicators for the previous Sida agreement period, 2008-‐2013, and this report for the first time shows the results, including 2014 and 2015. Sida has selected ten of the indicators for their monitoring of the performance of the program. Only those are included in this summary. It may be noted, that while individual groups and networks develop to scientifically productive units over the years, the aggregated body of research groups and networks may not necessarily be expected to show and increasing trend all performance indicator values on the ISP level. The most successful and productive groups and networks are gradually phased out of support, and new support may be initiated at institution still very far from producing results. Furthermore, in the evaluation of ISP in 2011 the risk was pointed out that ISPs increased efforts to demonstrate results using a more developed monitoring and evaluation systen might require time taken from the operative management of the program, resulting in less contact with supported groups and networks, and in worst case less funding available for allocations to research groups and networks, impairing their development. Indicator (F = female; M = male) Average 2008-‐13 2014 2015 b) Number of applications granted in relation to submissions. 98% 89% 100% c) ISP scientific reference group rating of applications. 54% 59% 60% (“Degree of excellence) Proportion of PhD students continuing/graduating each year. 81% 86% 86% g,h) Gender proportion of staff and students 18% F staff 22% F staff 18% F staff 23% F PhD 23% F PhD 20% F PhD 27% F MSc 32% F MSc 29% F MSc n) Number of publications, and proportion in “Web of Science” 153 (45%) 231 (44%) 257 (43%) -‐indexed journals p) Number of PhD graduations per year 27 36 53 q) Number of MSc (etc.) graduations per year 103 148 143 s) Number of outreaching activities performed 19 43 28 t) Number of honors 24 50 78 u) Number of instances when research results or skills are 14 19 66 used by society The first specific objective is “Better planning of and improved conditions for carrying out scientific research and postgraduate training”. Indicators “b” and “c” are among the “planning” indicators, reflecting the ability to to submit quality grant applications. Indicators “g” and “h” are among the “conditions” indicators, where gender balance is the desirable and favorable target condition. The second specific objective is “Increased production of high quality research”. Indicators “n”, “p” and “q” are among the production indicators. Indicator “n” includes the quality measure “proportion in Web of Science -‐indexed journals”. The third specific objective is “Increased use of research results and graduates”. Indicator “s” reflects the use of results and skills in for example informing and interacting with for example the public and stakeholders, and in contributing to expert committees. Indicator “t” reflects the benfits to ISP partners, to an extent resulting from the ISP-‐supported development of the activities they are part of. Indicator “u” reflects the actual use of research results in patents and 3 products, in other applications including training, the use of skills to influence policy, for example in government committees, and through technical development and services. Expenditures by research groups and networks Together, research groups and scientific networks spent close to 27 million SEK. Groups accounted for 55% and networks for 45% of the total expenditures, together using 85% of the financial resources available (including balances brought forward from 2014, making up 9% of available funding). In total, 47% of allocations were transferred for local use, and ISP paid 53% on request. Other Activities and Events (Section 7) Sida assignments ISP had Sida coordination assignments in the bilateral programs with universities in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition, ISP was engaged to pay subsistence allowances to Sida bilateral students from Bolivia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, while in Sweden. In October, Sida and ISP jointly organized a seminar at Sida, directed to students in bilateral and ISP programs. Collaboration In the collaboration with: • Al Baha University (ABU), Saudi Arabia; the 1st Al Baha University – Uppsala University (UU) Collaborative Symposium on Quality in Computing Education was held in February in Al Baha; UU mathematics teachers lectured at ABU; an information brochure in Arabic was produced, and a new ISP coordinator was employed. • Linköping University in the support to Research Management in Sida’s bilateral program with University of Rwanda (UR); four training programs were arranged at UR, one to be carried out in 2016, and a week of job-‐shadowing was arranged at Umeå univ. for two UR technicians. • National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Abuja, Nigeria; the NMC staff member Mr. Olufunminiyi Abiri continued PhD training att Luleå Univ. Technology, Luleå, Sweden. • The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Secretariat for Environmental Earth System Science, and the European Academies of Science Advisory Council; ISP continued the collaboration with the Smart Village initiave. • The Faculty of Science, Stockholm University (SU); continued efforts were made to realise the Pan African Centre for Mathematics. The SU contribution was also used to maintain support to research groups at Faculty of Science at National University of Laos. The cooperation was favorably evaluated by the SU Faculty, and in September the decision was made to enter into a new five-‐year agreement period under same conditions. • Thailand Research Fund and Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency; an agreement was signed in Feb., implying three yearly fellowships in the fields of chemistry, mathematics, and physics, for students from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam, to carry out two years of PhD training in Thailand and one in Sweden. Dissemination Ernst van Groningen contributed to an article in a special issue of the Wiley journal “Geografiska Annaler A, Physical Geology”, and also was a guest editor for the issue, which additionally featured three articles by PhD students of IPPS NADMICA. The ISP Completion Report was published on the ISP web in December, summing up the achievements of the granting period 2008-‐2013. 4 Marta Zdravkovic and Rebecca Andersson gave a talk on ISP’s former and future collaboration in Thailand at the 16th Royal Golden Jubilee PhD Congress, Thailand. Furtermore, Marta Zdravkovic presented ISP in a poster at the European University Association Annual Conference in Belgium, and gave a talk on her survey on research collaboration patterns in Southern Africa, at the SANORD conference in Namibia Minor Field Studies ISP offered stipends to 13 Swedish students in the Sida-‐financed Minor Field Studies program. Seminars, meetings, visits ISP arranged four seminars were arranged at ISP. Staff members gave six talks, participated in 13 additional meetings, in one of them as panelist, and held an annual review meeting with Sida and a steering committee meeting within the collaboration with SU. At 23 instances, ISP received or participated in the reception of visiting scientists or delegations. Obituary Mr. Lars Lundmark, Umeå University, unexpectedly passed away on 1 February 2015. He was a close collaborator in equipping laboratories in Africa and Asia with analytical chemistry instrumentation, carrying out repair and maintenance, and training staff and students. 5 SECTION 2: ORGANISATION International Science Programme Uppsala University P. O. Box 549 SE-‐751 21 UPPSALA SWEDEN Visiting address: Ångström Laboratory, Lägerhyddsvägen 1 (Polacksbacken), Uppsala Phone: +46 18 471 3575 | Fax: +46 18 471 3495 Internet: www.isp.uu.se Sida Agreement: Contribution ID 54100006 6
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