OUK, APHRC partner to strengthen research and innovation

The Open University of Kenya (OUK) and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) have signed an agreement to work together in research, innovation, capacity building and knowledge sharing.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the APHRC headquarters, bringing together a young university and an established African research institution with a common interest in turning knowledge into solutions that can make a difference in people's lives.

A growing university

For OUK, the partnership comes at an important time as the University expands its academic and research work.

OUK Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Carolyne Omulando, said the University had reached a point where it needed to learn from institutions with a longer track record.

"Although we are only three years old, we have reached a point where we can no longer keep saying we are young," she said. "We need to work with institutions that have been around for much longer so that we can learn quickly and grow."

OUK has come a long way since it opened its doors in late 2023 with about 30 staff members. Today, the University has about 100 staff and more than 33,000 students. About 12,000 students are pursuing degree programmes, while the rest are taking professional and short courses lasting between one week and six months.

Prof. Omulando said OUK's approach is built around flexibility, accessibility, inclusivity and affordability, while keeping quality at the heart of its work.

Research with purpose

As the University grows, so is its interest in research that can have a practical impact.

Prof. Omulando said OUK did not want research to end when a thesis was submitted or a paper published. The goal, she said, was to see research produce something that people could actually use.

"We want research to have a product that can be used immediately in society," she said.

One area the University is exploring is the use of capstone projects, particularly at PhD level, to encourage students to develop research that responds to real challenges and, where possible, leads to practical solutions and innovations.

OUK has already begun building its research portfolio through collaborations and projects involving organisations such as the European Union, UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning. The partnership with APHRC is expected to provide another avenue for researchers and students to learn, collaborate and share ideas.

Making research count

At APHRC, the focus is equally clear: research should not remain on the shelf.

APHRC Deputy Executive Director Dr. Joseph Gichuru said the Centre's 25 years of experience had shown that research has the greatest value when it helps shape decisions and improve people's lives. Established in 2001, APHRC now has about 350 staff and works in 43 countries, most of them in Africa. Its work covers four main areas: health and wellness, population dynamics, human development and data science.

"Our vision is to transform lives in Africa through research," Dr Gichuru said. "For research to transform lives, it has to influence the decisions people make."

Strengthening Africa's research space

Over the years, APHRC has also broadened the way it approaches research capacity. The Centre now looks beyond technical research skills to areas such as leadership, governance and strengthening the wider research ecosystem in Africa.

That includes supporting platforms, journals, data systems and other initiatives that make it easier for researchers to generate, share and use evidence.

Dr. Gichuru said APHRC's policy, engagement and communications work helps connect research with policymakers, communities and other audiences who need the evidence to make informed decisions.

He welcomed the partnership with OUK and said APHRC was ready to support the University as it builds its research capacity. "As you are getting the charter, your work is cut out for you, and we are here to support you," he said.

What comes next

The MoU gives the two institutions room to turn the partnership into practical programmes, including joint research, innovation initiatives, capacity building and knowledge exchange.

For OUK, it also offers students and researchers an opportunity to engage with an institution that has spent a quarter of a century building research capacity across Africa. And for both institutions, the bigger ambition is straightforward: to make research useful, accessible and relevant to the people and communities it is meant to serve.