AFRICA – Africa has published the first international standard for Good Research Management Practice (GRMP), setting a new global benchmark for research governance, ethics, and institutional development.
The announcement was made during the 31st General Assembly of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) held in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The African Organisation for Standardisation, established in 1977 by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), develops standards and harmonization systems to improve Africa’s internal trade capacity and global competitiveness.
The ARS 1024:2025 GRMP Standard is a product of collaboration between the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) and ARSO. It aims to guide research institutions in managing operations spanning governance, infrastructure, finance, training, compliance, and ethics.
Allen Mukhwana, Head of Programmes at the SFA Foundation, stated that modern research requires institutions to manage resources responsibly and align with expectations from funders, policymakers, and communities.
Addressing research capacity gaps
According to the SFA Foundation, Africa has approximately 20 health researchers per million people, compared to 246 per million in Europe.
Researchers often lack mentorship and infrastructure to translate research into practical solutions. The GRMP Standard seeks to address these challenges by creating structured, continent-wide guidance to strengthen governance and capacity.
Prof Tom Kariuki, CEO of the SFA Foundation, noted that the new standard provides African institutions with a framework to align with international practices while maintaining local relevance in research delivery.
Framework development
The standard was developed through consultation with over 150 experts representing universities, research institutions, regulators, funders, and professional associations from more than 25 countries. ARSO’s Project Committee on Research Management (PC 01) coordinated the process.
The GRMP Standard outlines eight components: governance, leadership, infrastructure, finance, training, monitoring, compliance, and ethics.
Multiple applications
Dr Evelyn Gitau, Chief Scientific Officer at the SFA Foundation, said the standard serves as a developmental, assurance, and compliance tool. It is intended to guide institutional growth, assure funders of transparency and accountability, and support certification and benchmarking.
Dr Jordan Kyongo, representing the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Kenya, described the standard as an essential tool to ensure institutions can manage resources effectively.
The SFA Foundation is preparing a GRMP Implementation Guide, training modules, and a certification scheme to support adoption across institutions.
The Science for Africa Foundation is a pan-African non-profit public charity supporting research funding, interdisciplinary collaborations, and environments conducive for scientists to produce locally relevant knowledge.