Background

Established in 1991, the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC), a research institute of the Mbarara University of Science & Technology, has played a crucial role in carrying out research, monitoring and capacity building in support of conservation of Uganda's forests, particularly the afromontane rainforests in south-west Uganda. The Institute is based in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a World Heritage Site and home to half the world’s population of the endangered Mountain gorillas. ITFC has been a leader in carrying out research and monitoring of the gorilla and the area’s other primate species, as well as in developing and implementing mechanisms designed to reconcile human development needs with the conservation of the forest’s outstanding biodiversity. However, ITFC’s growing success and reputation has meant that the Institute’s management, governance and administrative systems and capacity were unable to keep up with the growing demands being placed on them, and to enable the Institute to respond adequately to the expectations of its customers and stakeholders. CDC was therefore asked to provide technical and managerial advice for an institutional change process that would enable ITFC to transform itself into a robust, effective and modern organisation with a clear mission and the institutional capacity to deliver it.

Our contribution

Our work in support of ITFC’s institutional change process was spread over a number of years, and included: facilitation of a participatory process involving the Institute’s key stakeholders and staff aimed at defining the Institute’s long-term vision and mission and at developing strategies and a comprehensive action plan for institutional change. Based on this foundation, we were later invited back to provide additional support to: assist the Institute’s staff and its parent body to put in place new institutional and governance arrangements; establish new project management systems and guidelines; develop systems and guidelines for monitoring, evaluation and reporting; establish financial self-sustainability mechanisms (including accounting, budgeting, cost-recovery and financial reporting systems); and put in place new human resource management systems. In the intervening period since our involvement in the institutional change process, the Institute has continued to expand and strengthen its conservation, research and monitoring programmes throughout south-west Uganda, and has established a strong reputation internationally for the quality of its work. ITFC continues to support visiting scientists from around the world, as well as providing training and support to many Ugandan students and young researchers carrying out postgraduate research, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in conservation.

Customers