Centers are the building blocks of EfD. EfD invests in the institutional structures that make good research, capacity development, and policy engagement possible. This includes administrative capacity and systems, data management, and institutional learning between centers.

An expert review committee evaluates each EfD center for re-accreditation every five years. The purpose is to enhance South-South learning, gain insights from center-specific challenges and opportunities, and ensure that centers contribute to the EfD brand.

In 2023, the committee consisting of Edwin Muchapondwa, University of Cape Town, Jo Albers, University of Wyoming, and Ted Horbulyk, University of Calgary visited the centers in Ghana, Nigeria, Central America, South Africa, and Uganda, meeting with researchers, students, stakeholders, policymakers, and university officials. 

Acting on recommendations 

“Our discussions with the expert committee and their recommendations have been very useful,” says Nnaemeka Chukwuone, Center Director at EfD Nigeria, hosted at the Center for the Resource and Environmental Policy Research Centre (REPRC) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 

“For example, we are now changing how we organize our research groups to better align with the priorities of EfD’s collaborative research programs. This will help increase international collaboration, which tends to increase research output, for instance, by making better use of data already collected within EfD to enhance our publication record.” 

Attractive workplace 

Like in Uganda and Ghana, the Center in Nigeria joined the EfD network in 2019 

“On the institutional side, I am particularly happy that we now have a center with bylaws at the same level as academic faculties, which allows us to relate directly with the university management and have our own university accounts, reducing the usual delays in releasing research funds. We have our administrative staff and some facilities, including a server for data collection and management, software, tablets, computers, stable electricity from solar and the internet, thanks to EfD. All combined, it makes us an attractive place to work and meet,” says Nnaemeka Chukwuone. 

The capacity of centers to administrate and manage research projects and other activities is pivotal for attracting external funding and a conducive research environment. Low trust in the administrative systems of universities in the Global South can discriminate against researchers from low and middle-income countries. 

In 2023, EfD successfully introduced a new financial template to streamline financial planning and reporting.