Page 73 - AERC Strategic Plan 2 July2020

THE AERC 2020–2025 STRATEGIC PLAN

Table A1: AERC activities that contribute to ‘Research’ domain
outcomes

Intermediate Activities
Outcome
1.4; 1.5 Redesigning the Thematic and Collaborative research models to foster the synergies
discussed above. This will include conducting collaborative research framework and
country-case studies following the development of proposals by thematic research
groups, with several review workshops being undertaken, noting the assumptions and
risks identified.
1.4; 1.7 Developing new quality assurance mechanisms for collaborative and thematic
research proposals to ensure proposals are of a sufficiently high quality and that they
generate the types of synergies expected by the AERC.
1.5; 1.7 Conducting thematic research after a rigorous pre-screening of proposals by thematic-
group resource persons assigned by the group chairs; and presentation of the new
proposals at the Biannual Research Workshop, with subsequent award of research
grants to successful proposals.

1.5; 1.7 Conducting methodological technical workshops and research mentorships to
enhance analytical skills of early-career researchers. This will include taking into
consideration the various constraints faced by both junior and senior academics and
the resource constraints faced by the AERC.
1.5 Redesigning incentive mechanisms for collaborative and thematic research to promote
novelty and innovativeness in research and publication in high-impact journals.
1.6 Conducting a comprehensive review of the operational modalities of the CMAP, CMAAE,
and CPP universities to verify continued validity and identify any changes in the initial
design assumptions, risks, and sustainability.
1.6; 1.7 Conducting subject specialist workshops to review and develop curricula for CMAP,
CMAAE, and CPP elective and core courses to keep abreast with new developments in
economics and ensure there is enough applied and policy content.
1.6; 1.7 Conducting training on blended learning and developing and implementing
e-learning modules for CMAP and CMAAE elective courses.
1.6 Conducting joint facility and shared facility for elective courses for CMAP, CMAAE, and
CPP and that will signal comprehensiveness, efficiency, and quality.
1.6 Conducting stakeholder and subject-specialist workshops to identify and develop a set
of elective courses for CPP students seeking to specialize in Agricultural and Applied
Economics.
1.6; 1.7 Developing and implementing a quality index with various tiers/levels of quality for
use to evaluate economics curriculum of African universities seeking accreditation.

1.6; 1.7 Conducting annual reviews of CMAP, CMAAE, and CPP universities to ensure quality of
teaching of core and elective courses is aligned to best global standards.
1.6; 1.7 Conducting annual reviews of CMAP, CMAAE, and CPP to ensure these are aligned
to the quality standards that will be developed. These reviews will then lead to a
programme of incremental improvement that is feasible and relevant in the specific
institutional context.

1.6; 1.7 Conducting a feasibility study on joint delivery of electives to assess the extent to
which there can be a joint approach to delivery between universities in specific
regions.

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