Research Development and Community Engagement Corporate Director (RCSCD)

Our Research and Community Service Corporate Director (RCSCD) is the driving force behind our commitment to impactful research and meaningful community engagement. Nominated by the Chief Executive Director (CED) and appointed by the College Board, the RCSCD is a distinguished academic (Associate Professor or above, with a PhD or equivalent degree) selected from within our college community. This director serves a three-year term, with the possibility of reappointment, and is directly accountable to the CED.

Core Responsibilities and Contributions

The RCSCD spearheads initiatives that push the boundaries of knowledge and deliver tangible benefits to our communities. Their key duties and responsibilities include:

• Strategic Vision & Planning: Developing and communicating the mission, vision, values, and objectives for research and community service. They formulate the office's strategic and annual plans in consultation with stakeholders, including public and industry partners, for approval by the College Senate and CED office.
• Program Coordination: Coordinating research and community engagement activities across all academic programs, from advanced diplomas to postdoctoral studies, and clinical specialty/subspecialty certificates, as well as within all service units.
• Policy & Standards Development: Designing policies for research and community service undertakings, including translation and impact evaluation. They also formulate standards and work procedures for research, community-based education, community engagement, Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, publication, printing, and dissemination, ensuring alignment with college, university, and national policies.
• Oversight & Reporting: Planning short-term, mid-term, and long-term initiatives, closely following their implementation with directors and deans, and reporting all research and community service activities to the CED and other relevant college offices.
• Leadership & Governance: Participating actively in the college's executive management, managing council, and other forums. The RCSCD chairs the research council and key senate standing committees, including the Research, Development, and Publications Committee (RPC) and The Grant Hunting and Writing Committee (GHWC). They also participate in other vital college committees such as Academic Standards and Curriculum Review, Staff Recruitment, Appointment and Promotion, and Library and ICT Development.
• Excellence & Compliance: Supporting excellence and growth in research and community-based education and services by ensuring quality delivery, promoting compliance, and enhancing efficiency. They work closely with other university offices to ensure effective coordination of research administration services, systems, policies, and processes.
• Partnerships & Funding: Proactively engaging in matchmaking and acquiring third-party contract research and community projects with other research institutions and universities, facilitating MOUs, and fostering collaboration. They coordinate and endorse research and community proposals for approval and funding, and facilitate funding opportunities, negotiating and accepting awards on behalf of the college. They also initiate and facilitate external relations with a view to foreign partnerships with research institutions, philanthropists, and industry.
• Quality Assurance & Impact: Designing and enforcing robust quality assurance mechanisms for all research and community projects/activities. They ensure that research and community engagement primarily promote the relevance, quality, and impact of evidence to guide policy formulations within the University and the country at large.
• Resource Management: Facilitating the mobilization, generation, diversification, and intelligent use of limited resources to support the college’s research, entrepreneurship, innovation, and community units.
• Innovation & Technology Transfer: Promoting the nation's technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and innovation plan.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Coordinating collective planning to align research units and programs with greater interdisciplinary ties and joint operations.
• Awards and Compliance: Ensuring the implementation of all research and community service-related award directives (e.g., best researcher, best community provider), and revising or developing new ones as needed. They ensure all workflows adhere to College Directives, University legislation, and relevant government guidelines.

Contact:

Dr.Mulusew Andualem, Corporate Director for Research Development and Community Engagement

Mobile: +251 91 381 4608

Email: muler.hi@gmail.com