A framework for building research capacity through leadership development, institutional building, and research practice

This study examines the research landscape of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) between 2014 and 2016. The institute for Gross National Happiness Studies which is a virtual research think-tank of the RUB won a competitive grant from the Global Development Network in 2014. The objective of the grant programme was to strengthen institutional capacities of higher education institutions in Least Developed Countries to design, run and evaluate quality research training opportunities. For two years (2014-2016), series of research development interventions were implemented in four pronged approaches: enhance the capacity of research leadership, develop faculty research, engage students in research, and institutionalize research centres in the colleges of the RUB. Exploratory concurrent mixed method design (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) was applied to evaluate and explore growth, change, and development of research within the timeframe between 2014 and 2016. It is noted that there have been modest achievements in research both in terms of number as well as the intrinsic value it created, establishing a culture of research, and research enthusiasm among faculties as well as students in the colleges of the RUB. The findings show significant achievement in knowledge generation, as well as in policy changes at organisational, institutional, as well as the systemic level in the RUB. This framework could be followed by universities who wish to promote research culture from the base.