Abstract:
The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) was established in July 1988 with the principal objective of strengthening local capacity for economic policy research in Sub-Saharan Africa.  The AERC's intervention is targeted at enhancing the capacity of locally based researchers to conduct policy-relevant economic inquiry, promote retention of such capacity and encourage its application in the policy context.  The author explains how the Consortium and its members contribute towards and support research dissemination.  The AERC's structure is described together with the research and training progams that are provided by the organisation.  The author emphasises that via these activities, publication and dissemination of research have received more attention.  A detailed discussion follows with regards to the impact that research, training and dissemination activities have had on the research community as well as on policy.  The chapter concludes with a brief discussion on the future prospects that the Consortium holds.        

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Lyakurwa, William (1997). Regional cooperation in higher education in Africa-achievements and prospects: the case of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC). In Juma Shabani (ed) Higher education in the 21st century : achievements and prospects in the Eastern and Southern African region, Nairobi, Kenya: UNESCO, 124-127