title: Setting research priorities across science, technology, and health sectors: the Tanzania experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identifying research priorities is key to innovation and economic growth, since it informs decision makers on effectively targeting issues that have the greatest potential public benefit. As such, the process of setting research priorities is of pivotal importance for favouring the science, technology, and innovation (STI)-driven development of low- and middle-income countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report herein on a major cross-sectoral nationwide research priority setting effort recently carried out in Tanzania by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) in partnership with the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and the NEPAD Agency. The first of its type in the country, the process brought together stakeholders from 42 sub-sectors in science, technology, and health. The cross-sectoral research priority setting process consisted of a 'training-of-trainers' workshop, a demonstration workshop, and seven priority setting workshops delivered to representatives from public and private research and development institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations, and other agencies affiliated to COSTECH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The workshops resulted in ranked listings of research priorities for each sub-sector, totalling approximately 800 priorities. This large number was significantly reduced by an expert panel in order to build a manageable instrument aligned to national development plans that could be used to guide research investments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Tanzania experience is an instructive example of the challenges and issues to be faced in when attempting to identify research priority areas and setting an STI research agenda in low- and middle-income countries. As countries increase their investment in research, it is essential to increase investment in research management and governance as well, a key and much needed capacity for countries to make proper use of research investments.
authors.affiliation: The Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), Route de Morillons 1-4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. dehaanse@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.affiliation: The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), PO Box 4302, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. rose5306@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kingamkono
authors.affiliation: The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), PO Box 4302, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ntindamanyire@costech.or.tz.
authors.forename: Neema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tindamanyire
authors.affiliation: The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), PO Box 4302, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. hmshinda@costech.or.tz.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mshinda
authors.affiliation: The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), PO Box 4302, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. harunmakandi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makandi
authors.affiliation: The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), PO Box 4302, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. ftibazarwa@costech.or.tz.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tibazarwa
authors.affiliation: The NEPAD Agency, PO Box 1234, Halfway House, Midrand, South Africa. bkkubata@nepadst.org.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kubata
authors.affiliation: The Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), Route de Morillons 1-4, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. gabrielamontorzi@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montorzi
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019981:Health Care Sector; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010934:Planning Techniques; D012106:Research / Q000193:education*; D012586:Science; D013636:Tanzania