Participants of the UPEACE-OSSREA Research Capacity Building Workshop
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The UPEACE-OSSREA Research Capacity Building Workshop: Developing Peace Research Skills in Africa
The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa, OSSREA, and United Nations affiliated University for Peace, Africa Programme jointly organized a research capacity-building workshop on ‘Developing Peace Research Skills in Africa.’ This joint venture highlights the partnership between UPEACE and OSSREA in accordance with the institutional partnership agreement signed between the two institutions earlier this year.
UPEACE’s headquarters are in Cost Rica, while its Africa Programme is hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The university currently offers eight MA Programmes in fields related to peace and conflict studies. Every year more than 100 students from nearly 40 countries graduate with UPeace degrees.
The training workshop was held from 23-27 April at the Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel. The workshop was opened by UPEACE Africa Programme Director, Dr. Jean-Bosco Butera, and OSSREA Executive Secretary, Dr Alfred G Nhema. In their opening remarks both speakers emphasized the exigency of durable peace in Africa, the role of peace research in building capacity towards ensuring a more peaceful world and the significance of enhancing policy-research complementarities in Africa.
Participants of the
UPEACE-OSSREA Research Capacity Building Workshop
The goal of the training workshop was to develop, and in some instances upgrade the skills of experts in the areas of peace and conflict studies to enhance teaching and research capacity of universities and research institutions in Africa. The specific objectives of the workshop were:
Reintroduce researchers, practitioners and policy workers to the various methodologies of social science research in general and peace research in particular;
Reorient researchers to contemporary data analytical skills; and
Acquaint researchers with relevant training methodology pertinent to conflict, peace, development, human rights, gender, environment and other policy-related issues.
The workshop was designed to meet the occupational needs of university staff, researchers in social sciences, particularly those engaged in peace and conflict related research engagements, practitioners especially those in the civil societies and government institutions in charge of policymaking and policy dialogue, and peace and conflict experts in Africa.
This programme brought together African academics, academics in the African Diaspora, researchers and civil society practitioners for a five-day workshop to share and improve research methodologies in the areas of peace and conflict studies. There were 25 participants drawn from 18 African countries, namely Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Twelve of these countries were from the Eastern and Southern African sub-regions. From the 25 participants, 20 of them (about 80%) came from OSSREA’s two geographical zones. The participants have been engaged in managing peace and conflict related programmes and projects, teaching at universities, involved in peace advocacy, working on research undertaking related to peace and conflicts, lecturing different peace and conflict related courses in higher education institutions, coordinating programmes in transnational institutions, and working in the civic society organizations.
In order to give the participants an overview of the current state of peace and conflict studies in Africa and elsewhere, different papers were presented by researchers and scholars. The presenters included Bertha Amisi Kadenyi (USA), Prof. Sulayman Nyang (USA), Dr Monica Juma (Kenya), Dr Edith Natikunda (Uganda), Prof. Marion Keim (South Africa), Dr. Craig Zelizer (USA), Dr. Martin Rupiya (Zimbabwe), Dr Meshesha Shewarega (Ethiopia) and Dr Tony Karbo (Sierra Leone).
On the final day of this training workshop, a general discussion and evaluation was carried out to make preliminary appraisal of the outcome of this workshop. The evaluative discussion was presided over by UPEACE Africa Programme Director Dr Jean-Bosco Butera. In this appraisal, participants expressed their satisfaction based on the following factors:
The programme is well-structured and integrates social science research and peace research methodologies;
The linkage between theory and praxis is well-addressed;
The qualities of the participants and their multi-disciplinary backgrounds enriched the exchanges;
Gender-balance among the participants also contributed a lot to the quality of the outcome;
Participatory or participant-centered approach used by the facilitators were greatly appreciated;
Intensive group involvement and in-depth analysis of issues emanating from group discussion stimulated plans for future research;
Flexibility of the facilitators and organizers allowed for efficient use of the time;
Emphasis given to the African tradition of conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanisms was valued by all;
Very good coordination and logistical supports rendered to the participants by the organizers was praised;
Excellent spirit of cooperation between OSSREA and UPEACE was much appreciated; and
Practical examples and cases used in the training were highly valued.
The participants requested OSSREA and UPEACE to continue conducting such workshops as training programmes of this nature are very relevant to the goal of building capacities of researchers in the spheres of peace and conflict studies in Africa.