The establishment of the Office of the DVC-ship Research involved the merging of the Directorates of Research (DR) and Public Services (DPS), with the DPS being re-organised and renamed as Directorate of Knowledge Exchange (DKE). Since its establishment, more developments have taken place including the proposed establishment of the University of Dares Salaam Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (UDIEC) by bringing together in one unit all units that deal with innovation and entrepreneurship development. The publishing section of the Dar es Salaam University Press (DUP) has also been shifted to the Office of the DVC- Research. These structural changes are aimed at enhancing the operational and strategic capabilities of the University of Dar es Salaam and as such call for the re-organization of the Office of DVC- Research.
The proposed organization structure of the DVC-Research Office involves 3 Directorates: Research and Publication, Public Services, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In the proposed set-up, Senior Administrative Officer, System Administrator and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) manager shall assist the functions of the office of DVC-Research. The IPR Manager assisted by the IP-Professional shall be responsible for all technical and legal aspects that come from research, publication, innovation and entrepreneurship at the UDSM.
The Director of Research and Publication shall be assisted by Senior Administrative Officers, Programme Coordinators, Publishing Manager and Unit Research Coordinators through the Head of Units. The Publishing Manager will be assisted by three Heads of sections (Editing, Design and Typesetting, and Production) in overseeing all matters pertaining to UDSM publications.
The Director of Public Services shall be assisted by the Deputy Director who shall also be the University Consultancy Bureau (UCB) Manager. The UCB manager shall be assisted by three Heads of Sections (Continuing Education, Consultancy, and Outreach and Promotion). The Heads of Sections will be responsible for Unit Public Service Coordinators through the Heads of Units.
The Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will head the new Directorate and shall be assisted by the Deputy Director. The Deputy Director shall also be the Manager of UDIEC. All innovation and entrepreneurship units at UDSM shall work under one umbrella of UDIEC.
The Organizational Structure of the Office of DVC Research presented above allows for the formation of participatory organs which can aid the decision-making processes in all matters related to research, publication, public service, innovation and entrepreneurship. These participatory organs are Senate Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee (SRKEC), Consultancy, Outreach and Public Service Advisory (COPSA) Board, Management Committee, Publication Committee, Research Ethics Committee and Intellectual Property Committee.