The Policy Engagement and Analysis Unit plays a major role in fostering collaboration between ACRES and key stakeholders, particularly those who utilize our evidence products. During the reporting period, the Unit made strides in promoting a culture of evidence-informed decision-making, driving progress toward more informed policy choices:
Promoting Evidence-Informed Policy Making in renewable energy: a significant leap forward
Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) has moved big steps in promoting evidence-informed policy making in the renewable energy sub-sector. The Policy Engagement and Analysis Unit met with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on May 23rd, 2024, to explore potential areas of cooperation.
The meeting, led by Hon. Okaasai Opolot, State Minister for Energy, aimed to identify opportunities for collaboration as the government ventures into new developments in the renewable energy sub-sector.
ACRES introduced the Ministry officials to their Rapid Response Service and other products, demonstrating the value of evidence synthesis in informing policy decisions.
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Parliamentary forum commits to use of evidence in climate change policy formulation
The Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change – Uganda (PFCC-U) pledged to work with ACRES to increase the use of evidence in policymaking. The pledge was made by Christine Kaaya Nakimwero, the Kiboga Woman MP also Coordinator of the PFCC-U during a breakfast meeting hosted by ACRES at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala. Nakimwero is also the Shadow Minister for Water and Environment.
The meeting was called to discuss ways ACRES can contribute to policy formulation on matters of clean energy and climate change.
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ACRES fosters collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP)
The Policy Engagement and Analysis Unit initiated a strategic partnership with the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP), a national initiative hosted at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD).
NREP serves as a unified platform for stakeholders, including government, private sector, and development partners, to coordinate efforts and advance the renewable energy agenda.
A meeting held at the Ministry’s offices in Kampala explored opportunities for integrating research and evidence into the renewable energy sector.
ACRES and NREP have established a Service desk through which ACRES supports the platform with the Rapid response Service to provide answers to urgent policy queries.
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ACRES expands work in the education sector
ACRES has widened its influence in the education sector through a strategic partnership with the Education Service Commission. Led by the Policy Engagement and Analysis Unit, this collaboration aims to enhance Evidence-Informed Decision Making (EIDM) within the Commission.
Key outcomes of this partnership include:
- Contribution to the development of the Commission’s Research Agenda
- Collaboration on the creation of a Business Process Manual, which commenced with preliminary meetings to establish a working agenda
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ACRES and NCDC partner to enhance curriculum development with evidence
The Policy Engagement and Analysis Unit conducted a one-day training session with the senior management team at the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) offices in Kyambogo in efforts to promote EIDM through capacity building.
Dr. Grace Baguma, NCDC’s Executive Director, opened the workshop, emphasizing the importance of evidence in education: “Evidence must inform education. A curriculum centre cannot make decisions on thematic areas without evidence & research.”
Dr Baguma expressed gratitude for ACRES’s support in enhancing NCDC’s work and capacity in using evidence for decision-making.
The training covered topics such as public policy, evidence and EIP processes. The benefits of ACRES’s Rapid Response Service, which provides timely evidence to support urgent decisions were also highlighted.
