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  • News Article
  • 18 February, 2026
  • Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia

Home / Resources / RISA Learning Webinar: Advancing GEDSI for Inclusive Impact in Research and Innovation Ecosystems

RISA Learning Webinar: Advancing GEDSI for Inclusive Impact in Research and Innovation Ecosystems

Wednesday, 11 March 2026
16:00 EAT | 14:00 WAT | 13:00 GMT | 08:00 EST
Microsoft Teams Webinar

The RISA Fund, a programme funded by UK International Development, is pleased to invite you to an interactive RISA Learning Webinar exploring how inclusive innovation can unlock sustainable scale across Africa’s research and innovation ecosystems.

🔗 Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/bc0f8cd9-9d8e-4f24-8eb5-4b508c2a5b87@7c1f24a6-7d39-452c-8237-0726e3b19a73

About the Webinar

This learning webinar will explore how Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles are shaping the future of research and innovation. The session will showcase practical examples of GEDSI integration across innovation ecosystems and demonstrate how inclusive practices can strengthen impact, outreach, and sustainability.

Through expert-led presentations and an interactive fireside chat, participants will reflect on key challenges, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities for scaling GEDSI across research and innovation systems. Drawing on real-world experiences from practitioners, funders, and ecosystem leaders, the discussion will offer actionable insights and tools for embedding GEDSI as a driver of innovation — not merely a compliance requirement.

Key Learning Questions

By the end of the webinar, participants will:

  • Understand what effective GEDSI integration looks like in practice, including inclusive approaches that strengthen research quality, innovation outcomes, and societal impact.

  • Gain insights into practical tools, frameworks, and lessons learned from RISA grantees and partners — highlighting successes, common challenges, and how these have been addressed.

  • Explore strategies for scaling and sustaining GEDSI, including collaboration opportunities, capacity-building approaches, and ways to embed inclusion as a core driver of innovation beyond individual projects or funding cycles.

About RISA

The RISA Fund is a multi-country initiative funded by UK International Development, designed to strengthen research and innovation systems across Africa. It brings together two complementary programmes under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) — Strengthening Research Institutions in Africa (SRIA) and African Technology and Innovation Partnerships (ATIP) — to harness synergies and drive systemic change.

Managed by a consortium comprising Chemonics UK, Results for Development, and SOAS University of London, RISA collaborates with universities, innovation hubs, government agencies, private sector actors, and international development partners.

The programme operates in six countries — Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa — supporting locally driven solutions and fostering cross-sectoral learning and long-term impact.