The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) from the 27th to 31st August 2018, was privileged to be part of the onsite training in Research and Grants Management. The training was facilitated by a team from the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) under the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCIs) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The training was provided in line with SGCI’s theme 1 which aims at strengthening the research management capacity of Africa’s Science Granting Councils (SGCs). This theme among other, seeks to support the capacity of SGCs in grant systems and procedures, Science Technology and Innovation (STI) research policy setting, communicating research results and augmenting principles of scientific review. The onsite training began with a site visit to NCST offices on the 27th of August 2018 to appreciate the various roles that the commission plays in promoting research and grants delivery.

The actual onsite training took place from 28th to 31st August 2018 at Umodzi Park in Lilongwe and in attendance were key representatives responsible for research and grant management from Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN) and Chancellor College. The imperative role that these academic institutions are expected to perform to harness research and nurture research hubs cannot be overemphasized hence the training took place at an opportune time. The training among other things focused on STI system and research management, research ethics and integrity, designing, processing and developing funding instruments and proposal review, enhancing partnerships and collaborations, managing research for impact and monitoring and evaluation of funding programs. The training was further enriched by participants sharing experiences, best practices, innovations and challenges in research and grant management at the individual, institutional, national and regional levels.