Establishment of a Road Research Centre in Mozambique. Recommendations on Institutional Structures for the Road Research Centre

Abstract

The Mozambican Roads Administration (ANE) has embarked on a project to establish a Road Research Centre (RRC) in Mozambique aiming to provide the basis for improving the long-term capacity to undertake relevant, high quality research relating to the road sector of Mozambique. This project forms part of the Africa Community Access Programme (AFCAP), which is a research programme supported by the Department of International Development (DFID) of the Government of the United Kingdom and managed by Crown Agents Ltd on behalf of DFID. CSIR, in association with LNEC has been commissioned by Crown Agents to provide Technical Assistance for phase 2 A of the project, which aims to address institutional issues relating to the RRC, draft a strategic research plan and develop a 5-year business plan for the RRC. In this report, appropriate institutional structures for undertaking research are presented. It addresses the following: (i) the Terms of Reference for a functioning Road Research Steering Committee (RRSC) and Road Research Technical Committee (RRTC), as well as an overview of the outcomes of the inaugural meetings of both of these committees; (ii) the institutional location of the RRC within the structures of ANE; (iii) the physical location of the RRC in Mozambique; (iv) laboratory support for a functioning RRC; and (v) Staffing of the RRC. All items, with the exception of the last item (“Staffing of the RRC”), have been discussed and agreed with ANE, and presented to the RRTC, whilst items (i) and (ii) have been endorsed by the RRSC.