About
Lira University Research and Innovations Lab is established in the framework of the project “African Higher Education Leadership in Advancing Inclusive Innovation for Development – AHEAD” (ref. no: 585919-EPP-1-2017-1-RO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP), co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
The activities of the innovations hub include among others providing ICT services, electronic resources, software and research initiatives, systematic reviews, and entrepreneurship.
The Research and Innovations Lab is a facility for supporting innovation and creativity. The Lab is open to all stakeholders.
The main areas of activities include:
► Managing stakeholder input into research agendas and the design and
delivery of curricula;
► Providing start-up and entrepreneurship support through consultancy or
applied research (incl. for scaling of grassroots innovations and social
entrepreneurship);
► Organizing start-up competitions for students/alumni with a view to
encouraging the creation and scaling of enterprises;
► Organizing mentorship schemes;
► Searching and establishing contacts with grassroots innovators and manage grassroots innovation initiatives and inclusive innovation projects;
► Exploring the possibilities for transfer of technologies and university spin-offs, as well as other types of collaborations with research organizations and business;
► Supporting consortium building and project development and implementation in the field of research and innovation with a view to attracting funding. Fundraising should focus on: funding by business for applied research, public funding through national research support funds, funding for cutting edge innovation supported by donors, incl. EU Programmes, e.g. Horizon 2020;
► Organizing training in innovation management and inclusive innovation;
► Implementing further reviews of institutional innovation capacity and propose improvements.
The Hub is located in the University Library where the equipment is set-up.
Appropriate visualization is also ensured and external stakeholders are encouraged to contribute to the activities of the Hub.
THE AHEAD PROJECT
The Project African Higher Education Leadership in Advancing Inclusive Innovation for Development – AHEAD is implemented in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, Action – Capacity Building in Higher Education.
AHEAD project aims to enhance the management, governance, teaching, research and evaluation capacities of partner higher education institutions from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in view of enabling them to implement the knowledge triangle and better integrate their research, education and innovation functions in support of innovation for sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The specific objectives include:
- To enable higher education institutions (HEIs) from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to review and reform their institutional structures and agendas, build the vital human capital and strengthen the managerial expertise needed to lead and manage knowledge flows and innovation partnerships with a variety of stakeholders in the field of sustainable development, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth;
- To contribute to the knowledge and teaching base of the partner HEIs
form Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in the field of innovation management and inclusive innovation, as well as to build their capacities for entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship education; - To create inclusive stakeholder-oriented university led support structures and communication platforms with diverse partners in the innovation system in view of nurturing local entrepreneurship and inclusive development in the participating partner countries.
One of the major outputs of the AHEAD project was the establishment of Innovation for Development Hubs in partner Universities from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The Innovation Hubs provide physical working space, consultancy and support for stakeholder collaboration in research and innovation.