The Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST), Professor Pierre Gomez, on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, presided over the validation of the Draft National Research, Development and Innovation (NaRDIC) Bill, Research Excellence Assessment Framework (REAF), and the National Research Regulations.
The validation brought together various stakeholders to review and endorse three critical instruments designed to strengthen national research regulation and governance.
In his opening remarks, the Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez, revealed that the National Research Regulations represent a transformative step in their collective mission to establish a robust, ethical, and forward-thinking research and innovation ecosystem in The Gambia.
He added that the research regulations address the urgent need for clarity, coordination, and consistency in research governance, a need that has long been evident in the nation.
He noted that in recent years, The Gambia has faced significant challenges in research, including limited funding, inadequate regulatory oversight, and the detrimental effects of unregulated research publications.
These issues he said has underscored the necessity for decisive action, and that The Gambia governm,ent, thr,ohave MoHERST, has responded by drafting these instruments to foster a future built on trust, transparency, and research-driven development.
He advanced that his Ministry’s role in research governance is threefold, focusing on Policy Leadership, Strategic Coordination, and Capacity Building.
Through these pillars, he said MoHERST has provided strategic direction, united diverse stakeholders from academia, government, civil society and the private sector, and laid the foundational framework for research excellence and innovation.
