The Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, has held an open forum with Research Development Officers (RDOs) to better understand their research management work processes and the interrelations with Colleges.
Present at the meeting, held on Monday, 31 August 2026, was Prof. David Dodoo-Arhin, Director (RID), Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, Deputy Registrar, Office of the Pro VC. . The meeting afforded staff the opportunity to explain their roles in greater detail, and discuss challenges, share ideas and explore opportunities.
Prof. Codjoe explained that the engagement formed part of a broader effort to meet with the various units under his portfolio to identify bottlenecks and find practical ways to improve service delivery to the University Community He emphasised the importance of teamwork and collegiality within the research administration structure,observing that, given the interconnected nature of research administration, collective support was necessary to advance research efforts.
Key Issues and Proposed Improvements
The RDOs shared some systemic bottlenecks which affect service delivery in general. Central to the discussion was the issue of late proposal submissions and the attendant delays in carrying out thorough due diligence.
The due diligence and contract review process was reported to take considerable time to ensure all risks to the University are thoroughly assessed. Professor Codjoe called for the process to be streamlined and encouraged the RDOs to explore a 24-hour turnaround time for selected services where feasible.
The meeting also emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration between RDOs and PIs. A number of networking proposals were tabled to build stronger working relationships and promote a better understanding of respective roles. Professor Codjoe indicated that he planned to engage PIs directly to illicit their perspective.
Capacity Building and Process Improvement
On capacity building, various suggestions were made to strengthen the skills and working conditions of RDOs, including training in legal aspects of contract review, customer service and leadership development. Mr. Baidoo, was tasked with engaging the Dean of the UG School of Law, on the possibility of developing a specialised legal course for research administrators, which could be piloted with RDOs at RID. The need to upgrade RID’s research management systems obtain additional IT equipment and improved office conditions was also highlighted.
Professor Codjoe consequently constituted a three-member committee chaired by Ms. Nana Oye Akuffo to conduct a review and make recommendations.. The demanding nature of RDOs’ work, including work beyond regular office hours and on weekends, also led to discussions on greater flexibility in working arrangements.
Strengthening Research Reputation
Mr. Jacob Zutah highlighted the importance of improving the University’s research reputation, noting that reputation surveys by ranking agencies reflect perceptions of institutional practices in areas including research grants and publications.
Mr. Baidoo, underscored the importance of research to the development of the University and the nation, noting that institutions globally thrive on research output. He observed that, at the University of Ghana, this responsibility rests largely with the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor and the Research and Innovation Directorate, and urged the RDOs to maintain high standards of professionalism.
The Professor David Dodoo-Arhin, expressed appreciation to the Pro Vice-Chancellor for the engagement. He noted that the distinction between RID and the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor is not always clear to those outside the two offices and urged RDOs to work diligently to improve service delivery, advance the University’s research agenda and strengthen its research reputation.
Professor Codjoe urged staff to work towards agreed deliverables, stating that he planned to continue engaging RDOs and other stakeholders.
