Between 9-12 February 2015, the ResUp MeetUp will convene in Nairobi, Kenya, for a Symposium and Training Exchange.

The aim of the two-day Symposium is to explore emerging issues within and develop a deeper understanding of the evolving concept of ‘research uptake’. This will be followed by a two-day Training Exchange, which will centre around a range of skills associated with research uptake activities.

The overall set of activities will take place over four days.

By coupling the Symposium with the Training Exchange, we hope to break down the traditional trainer/trainee dynamics and bring everyone’s shared expertise to the table.

This unique event emerged from the recognition that research uptake can require a diverse range of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills, such as:

• interpersonal skills (networking, working with the media, clear messaging, etc.)
• topical expertise (deep knowledge of health or agriculture, for example)
• political nous
• technical skills (creating films, using desktop publishing software, knowledge of programming languages, etc.)
• project management

However, capacity development for research uptake and communication is often done within specific projects and led by individuals who have specific strengths and weaknesses. By attempting to convene a range of capacity building experts, individual projects with research uptake capacity building requirements can take advantage of the diversity of trainers to ensure more targeted and tailored skills training for project stakeholders.

Find out more by reading the introductory brochure.