RMA QUIZ

Introduction

Kenya Medical Research Institute （KEMRI）is a national body responsible for carrying out research in human health in Kenya.

KEMRI played a major role in the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting PCR testing of about half of the samples in Kenya and identifying variants, etc. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed an excessive burden on KEMRI researchers, prompted KEMRI to train administrative staff as Research Management and Administrators (RMAs). From July 2023 to February 2024, with the cooperation of Kyoto University in Japan and Japan International Agency (JICA), KEMRI provided about 20 administrative staff members with training opportunities to learn the basics of RMA, and at the same time, KEMRI implemented the ‘KEMRI RMA Mapping Project’, a series of workshops for a visualization effort of complex administrative work including grant management, human resource management, etc. and related rules and regulations for easy understanding for researchers, which introduced after Kyoto University's experience. A series of workshops to identify current issues and prepare visualization materials were conducted as part of the training.

KEMRI also took the opportunity to learn from RMA systems at Nagasaki University, Hiroshima University, and Kanazawa University in Japan, and to network with international RMA organizations, INORMS, SARIMA, and EARIMA.

KEMRI declared the launch of the KEMRI RMA by top management at the 14th KASH Conference in February 2024, based on the above-mentioned RMA human resource development efforts. This was followed by the drafting of the mission, vision of KEMRI RMA, and the curriculum for KEMRI RMA Internal Training in March 2024.

As of June 2024, the proposed organizational changes under consideration at KEMRI include the creation of a new RMA Department and the strengthening of the RMA function at KEMRI.

Purpose and use of this course

This LMS course includes a lecture on the basic RMA concept and the current situation of RMA at Japanese universities conducted by Dr. Wakamatsu Fumitaka of KURA, Kyoto University, who collaborated with KEMRI on the first RMA training at KEMRI mentioned above, and lectures of organizational management in Japan, which is considered good internationally conducted by Mr. Watanabe Kozo, JICA Expert to KEMRI.
The training provides a basic knowledge base for KEMRI staff who would serve RMA work and others who wish to get an overview of RMA.
Learners can learn from the Japanese case study and use it as a reference for developing RMA in Kenya and other East African countries, etc.
Each participant of the course is expected to use the knowledge gained by the course to come up with a plan of the own enhancing communication strategy at the workplace and integrate what learned into the daily routine for promoting interdepartmental collaboration.