Development and Evaluation of Project Management Training for Cancer Research in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • 0International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria.

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Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer research project management (PM) training in Africa significantly improved skills, with lasting knowledge retention. This initiative builds a vital workforce to advance cancer research and reduce the region's cancer burden.

Area Of Science

  • Oncology
  • Public Health
  • Research Capacity Building

Background

  • Africa faces a substantial cancer burden, necessitating high-quality research to understand regional cancer etiology and risk factors.
  • A critical gap exists in training resources for a project management (PM) workforce dedicated to cancer research in Africa.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To develop and evaluate a project management (PM) training program tailored for professionals engaged in cancer research within Africa.
  • To address the identified gap in PM knowledge and resources for African cancer research initiatives.

Main Methods

  • A hybrid workshop was conducted in Nigeria, implementing and evaluating a project manager toolkit developed by the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate (MADCaP) Consortium.
  • The training focused on strengthening research capacity through structured project management practices.

Main Results

  • Twenty-nine participants from 10 African institutions showed a 16.6% improvement in PM skills post-training.
  • A 1-year follow-up confirmed sustained skill improvement (80.8% vs. 70.8% pre-training), with 80% reporting an excellent training experience.

Conclusions

  • Project management (PM) skills training is effectively implementable in Africa.
  • The training program demonstrates long-term knowledge retention, crucial for developing a skilled workforce for regional cancer research.