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DRD contributes to TReMOR in Research Management
Author: Division for Research Development
Published: 23/11/2020

​The Division for Research Development (DRD) continues to contribute to the professionalisation of Research Managers and Administrators in Southern Africa and beyond through a recently acquired project entitled: TReMOR (Toolkit for Early-career Research Managers Online Resources).

The project forms part of the International Research Management Staff Development Programme (IRMSDP), a collaboration between the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) UK. The programme is focusing on knowledge sharing and the development of tools and resources, created by teams consisting of research management professionals from across Africa and the UK.

The TREMOR project brings together a team from Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and the UK, with diverse experiences across a vast range of research management (RM) specialist areas.

The aim of the collaborative project is to develop practical tools and resources in RM for early-career Research Managers (ECRM) with a focus on Grant Management (GM), both pre-and post-award, as essential functions within a Research Office. This will increase knowledge and capacity in this function, with the aim of also strengthening the cultural understanding and collaborations between the UK and African Universities.

The benefit of this joint project, therefore, is that it will provide an opportunity for benchmarking and best practice development through the sharing of knowledge, expertise and experiences within this area in SADC and the UK. It will also develop a sharing platform to which a growing community of practice can contribute new resources, creating a sustainable resource to support the work of the sector. As resources will be drawn from both the UK and Africa it will help ECRMs involved in the development of international research collaborations to understand and be able to adapt to the different contexts more effectively.

Maryke Hunter-Hüsselmann, Director: Research Information and Strategy at DRD, is one of 57 research managers, comprising six teams, who have been awarded this international grant through the IRMSDP. She is very excited about the opportunities it offers for staff development and international networking within the DRD, but also for the development of professional Research Managers across the Southern African Development Community (SADC). 

"Through our involvement in the TReMOR project, the DRD continues to contribute to boosting research management capacity in the SADC region and beyond, which is of immense value to strengthen research and innovation at universities and other research institutions in the region."

The DRD provides professional support for research grant applications from SU's research community to various research funding programmes. Through their involvement in the TReMOR project, DRD staff members will get the opportunity to contribute to and gain access to various pre-and post-award resource materials. This provides excellent opportunities for staff development within the DRD and allows for the establishment and strengthening of the division`s international research grants management networks and support to researchers.

The Division for Research Development, under the leadership of Dr Therina Theron, had also been the lead in an EU Erasmus+ funded project StoRM (Strengthening of Collaboration, Leadership and Professionalisation in Research Management in SADC and EU Higher Education Institutions). The StoRM project successfully implemented a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Management and Administration (RMA), an executive Masters degree curriculum for mid-career RM professionals, a recognition mechanism for senior RM professionals and a vibrant staff exchange and mentoring programme, aimed at good practice and developing RM capacities across SADC. The TReMOR project follows from the work that has already been done through StoRM and therefore forms part of the sustainable development in this field.

For more information on the TReMOR project, visit the website:

http://bit.ly/tremor-project

or TReMOR on Twitter: @TReMORProject

A tremor can be roughly defined as a rhythmic and shaking movement caused by excitement. In the context of this project, the aim is to cause a tremor in the lives of early-career RMAs by equipping them with the necessary resources, materials and tools to do their job effectively, thereby shifting the landscape of research excellence in SADC and the UK!