Our Biggest Impacts
Capacity Strengthening
Respondents identified a total of forty-four different areas where they thought the University of Glasgow had created impact. Eighteen of those related in some way to training or capacity strengthening, which was by far the most frequently mentioned impact. What was particularly notable was the variety in the types of capacity strengthening that were identified. Respondents highlighted infrastructure development in the Blantyre-Blantyre collaboration, research management capacity strengthening workshops, mentoring, support for updating research support services and systems, social sciences capacity strengthening, training opportunities, and veterinary capacity strengthening. That capacity strengthening was highlighted across so many difference contexts demonstrates how strengthening research ecosystems has been successfully embedded within our approach to collaboration.
What is the biggest impact you think the University of Glasgow has had in your region/country?
"Bringing in the Blantyre-Blantyre lab in my country, supporting the dental school and other research in the country." - HEI respondent from Malawi
"Capacity building the UoG offer is excellent help. University fee waivers for those who need is amazing, very pleased with them. The mentoring is on another top level." - NGO respondent from Spain
"Capacity building through training of early-career African Scientists." - Research Institute respondent from Tanzania
Collaborative Approaches
The second most common impact highlighted some elements of our approach to our collaborative relationships. Eight responses included impact in the form of equitable partnerships, information sharing, engagement, sensitivity, support for collaboration, support for local initiatives, and stakeholder engagement. These responses demonstrate that our approach to equitable partnerships is recognized and valued.
What is the biggest impact you think the University of Glasgow has had in your region/country?
"Introducing new approaches to research work, including methodologies, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as ethics and documentation systems. This done without imposition and with respect for existing local policies and approaches." - Arts or Cultural Organization respondent from Zimbabwe
"Training at MSc and PhD level, sustained stakeholders engagement at global level through publications, infrastructure development through collaborative research grants" - NGO respondent from Tanzania
Research Impacts
Of the forty-four different areas of impact identified by survey respondents, thirteen were subject-specific. These research impacts included conservation, coffee, rabies, education, human health, urban studies, one health, and family violence.
What is the biggest impact you think the University of Glasgow has had in your region/country?
"Has contributed to policy changes in the fight against rabies locally, nationally and international level. Community level awareness of rabies and other zoonoses has been realised. Many research scientists have been developed and trained from the University of Glasgow who are now leading several institutions and projects across the country, and some of which holding high positions within the government playing a crucial role in government, some training students at the universities etc." - NGO respondent from Tanzania
"...the University of Glasgow has been instrumental in the veterinary, and more recently, in the social science research capacity development and collaboration research on development and evaluation of parenting interventions, which has been noticed by the Gender Ministry. There's great potential if this developing partnerships are nurtured." - HEI respondent from Uganda
Conclusions
Overall, it is striking that many respondents focused on the relational and non-subject specific elements of our work when identifying our greatest impacts in their region.
While almost all the responses were positive, there was one respondent who commented on UofG's recruitment processes contributing to the undermining of higher education institutions in the Global South.
What is the biggest impact you think the University of Glasgow has had in your region/country?
"Providing a wide range of higher education for many thousands of British people. Attracting many overseas students to Glasgow, thus undermining higher education institutions in L/MICs." - HEI respondent from the UK
We acknowledge these systemic power imbalances, and we are gratified to see that the responses from other respondents recognize our ongoing efforts to build equitable partnerships and strengthen Southern research ecosystems. It is through these approaches that we will continue to address systemic global inequity in research.