Background to WARIMA

WARIMA was set up in November 2006, at a meeting of over twenty universities from five African countries. WARIMA, now the professional body for research management staff in the West Africa region, aims to help universities make the best use of their research resources by: promoting good practice in accessing external research funds, contract negotiation, financial and other project management and the exploitation of intellectual property. The organisation seeks to replicate the success of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), which was established in 2002.

The WARIMA steering committee recognised that a successful first year would be vital to its sustainability, and sought to ensure maximum external assistance during this period. In March 2007, the Institute of Education London (IOE) successfully obtained a grant under the England-Africa Partnerships programme (EAP) to support development work of WARIMA in its first year. The project director based at the IOE, was also the Deputy Chair of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), at that time, and through ARMA played an important role in harnessing wider UK involvement.

The IOE worked closely with The University of Ibadan which is home to the new WARIMA office, Chair of the WARIMA steering committee, and centre of its communications network. The University of Sierra Leone, which has developed significant expertise in pre-award research administration, and played an important role in ensuring that the initiative is a genuinely regional one, and the University of Ghana. Other participants were the recently merged Walter Sisulu University which has first hand experience of developing new research structures in recent years, SARIMA and The Association of Commonwealth Universities which manged the project

During the year 2007 - 2008 the project:

• Supported three international meetings in West Africa
• Provided resources and materials - for the above mentioned meetings and for WARIMA members
• Covered the costs of the central office set-up and the office administration support

The inaugural WARIMA annual conference took place in Nigeria in November 2007.  More information on the conference can be found here.

 * Since the project started, the National Universities Commission Nigeria, The University of Buea and the University of Gambia have

    become involved in the development of WARIMA and are now represented on the Steering Committee

For further information contact:

Professor Idowu Olayinka at the University of Ibadan (Chair, WARIMA Steering Committee) Email: idowu.olayinka@mail.ui.edu.ng,