RMI partnerships are guided by the need to add value to its clients and partners. Our partnerships are built at local, national, regional and global levels. The following set of Standards is used to guide RMI institutional partnership building initiatives.
| # | Standard | Explanation |
| 1 | Purpose of the partnership | The purpose of any RMI partnership must be clear. Any partnership arrangements shall be entered into with the purpose of advancing RMI mandate and mission. The driving force should be to gain access to new research resources as well mutually beneficial joint consultancy business opportunities. |
| 2 | Outcome Specific | RMI shall build partnerships, which clearly identify outcomes of such a relationship. They must be clear and measurable. |
| 3 | Impact and Value for money | RMI should be able to put in place a measuring mechanism to ascertain the impact of its engagement into all partnerships and whether its returns are worth the investments. |
| 4 | Intellectual Dignity | Research and joint training partnerships and collaboration especially with international institutions/agencies shall be based on institutional partnerships and not the incorporation of individual RMI institutional researchers. This is intended to boost intellectual dignity of researchers and discourage externally-driven agendas where researchers of a local institution appear more of an outreach branch for international agencies /institutions/companies. |
| 5 | Duration of Partnership | RMI will enter into any business partnership relationships with a clear vision of how long the partnership is planned to last. A clear roadmap of what needs to be implemented within the given timeframe will also be drawn. |
| 6 | Clear communication and accountability | To ease communication, speed up implementation, and create accountability, RMI will designate a lead person responsible for directly negotiating, implementing and reporting on the partnership activities. The same will be expected of the participating partner institution/agency. |
| 7 | A Memorandum of Understanding | This shall work as a framework for working relationships from which the nature of partnership will be defined, contracts and agreements generated, each party's commitments agreed on and partnership roles and responsibilities clarified. |