DRIC Trains Principal Investigators in UCC

The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) of the University of Cape Coast, UCC, has trained Principal Investigators (PEIs) on enhancing effective project management from pre-award to post-award administration.

The workshop covered topics such as Procedures for recruiting Project Research Fellows, Procurement for Recruiting Project Research Fellows, Procurement Processes, and Compliance Requirements for Research Projects.

The rest were Audit Requirements and Compliance in Project Implementation; Financial Processes in Research Grant Management: Pre-Award and Post-Award Considerations; Legal Issues; and Procedures for Requesting and Accessing Project Funds.

Participants were drawn from various departments, units, schools, faculties, and Colleges within UCC.

In his remarks, the Director of DRIC, Prof. David Doku, described the event as a success and “very positive”.

He said DRIC would continue to work with the Directorate of Internal Audit, the Directorate of Finance, the Legal Office, the Procurement Office, and other directorates to enable it to execute its work seamlessly.

“As part of that process, we engage- this is the second or third time that we are doing this - we engage with all these directorates and offices together with the Principal Investigators so that we discuss issues that can help us to be able to do our work and do it very well,” he said.

According to him, research administration and implementation go through many processes, that is, from pre-award to implementation to post-award. Throughout these processes, DRIC has to collaborate with these units and the PEIs to deliver and meet the funders' deliverables.

Prof. Michael Adu, a participant from the Department of Crop Science, described the workshop as timely, saying that the knowledge acquired would help Principal Investigators with their research proposals to meet both the needs of funders and the UCC.

Another participant, Prof. (Mrs.) Mavis Serwah Benneh Mensah, from the School of Business, said the workshop would help Principal investigators to be abreast of the required procedures to go through from pre-award to post-award and expressed gratitude to DRIC for the initiative.

The workshop reaffirmed UCC’s commitment to equipping researchers with modern tools and skills to remain competitive and contribute meaningfully to global knowledge production.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC