Africa is at a critical juncture in its development journey. The continent faces numerous challenges, from climate change and pandemics to economic inequality and social injustice. To address these pressing issues, policymakers and researchers must make informed decisions backed by reliable evidence.
Despite the importance of Evidence-Informed Decision-Making (EIDM), many African policymakers and researchers lack the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively integrate evidence into their work. This gap hinders the development of effective policies and programs, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and inequality.
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Bridging the gap: The Evidence for Policy Training Programme
In response to this challenge, the Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) has launched the Evidence for Policy Training Programme. This innovative programme aims to cultivate technical expertise, cultural competence, and collaborative skills among policymakers and researchers, empowering them to harness the power of EIDM.
The 15-week entry-level pilot program kicked off on September 30, 2024, with a residential workshop in Kampala, bringing together participants from Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Participants include policymakers and researchers from each of the four countries.
The program is designed to:
- Enhance understanding of EIDM principles and practices.
- Foster collaboration and networking among policymakers, researchers, and interns and
- Develop practical skills for evidence-based decision-making.
The programme stands out due to its comprehensive curriculum addressing pressing EIDM challenges, interactive exercises and case studies developing critical thinking and analytical abilities, tailored guidance and support for individual learning needs, as well as an engaging and immersive approach fostering deeper understanding and retention.
The participants commended the training, praising its interactive and practical approach:
“This is a very exciting training. Being a researcher, it brings everything in my trade into form. What I love about the training is the ability to form groups and put what we learn in theory into practice.” – Memory Ngwira, Malawi.
“I see I have developed a lot from day one to today. I am excited for the future, and I am ready to learn more and more.” – Shimwe Katoto Amos, Tanzania.
“I want to appreciate how the programme puts things in perspective. Having worked within this space for some time, I found myself doing things, but I didn’t get that larger picture. So, the training has in a way put in a broad perspective of how one thing fits into another.” – Olive Mbekwani, Malawi.
Learners expect to acquire enhanced understanding of EIDM principles and practices, networking opportunities with peers and experts, practical skills for evidence-based decision-making and improved collaboration and communication.
The 15- week entry level features:
- Exploratory content
- Self-directed learning activities
- Assignments
- Tutorship
- Group work
- Online learning sessions and
- Continuous feedback and evaluation
By bridging the gap in EIDM, this programme has the potential to transform decision-making, ensuring that policies and programs are informed by reliable evidence and effective in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.