What are the research ‘gaps’ in global development?
Questions to consider are how could your current work be applied to development contexts? Could you partner with someone who needs your skills in a different discipline or another country?
Development research seeks to alleviate poverty and improve people’s health and wellbeing. ‘Traditional development’ approaches are still needed to improve access to sanitation, drinking water, electricity and to support people affected by conflict. However, the challenges that low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face are increasingly complex, sometimes similar to those in richer countries, and researchers and governments in LMICs are already utilising technological and social innovations adapted to their populations.
Good places to get ideas for where more research is needed are talking to colleagues and reading our REF impact case studies, the Sustainable Development Goals, and 50 Breakthroughs: the critical scientific & technological breakthroughs required for sustainable global development. Having the right partners is vital to make sure whatever you work on will be appropriate to the context and have impact, read our partnership resource page to learn more.
Beyond research there are many different ways that you can utilise your skills and expertise, including advising policy makers or training scientists. This DFID guide to ‘research uptake’ is a good place to start to think about activities that can facilitate the use of research and the ODI Roma Guide is a toolkit for policy engagement and influence.
What counts as a “low- or middle-income country (LMIC)”?
Research for development funding from the UK government is classified as Official Development Assistance (ODA) and is monitored by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The OECD provides a list showing all countries and territories eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA). These consist of all low and middle income countries based on gross national income (GNI) per capita as published by the World Bank, with the exception of G8 members, EU members, and countries with a firm date for entry into the EU. The list also includes all of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as defined by the United Nations (UN).
The list which will govern ODA flows in 2018, 2019 and 2020 is available here.
The UK Department for International Development has 28 priority countries. The Newton Fund currently operates with 16 partner countries. In November 2015, the government announced a new Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) which funds research around challenges affecting ODA recipient countries. As non-governmental organisations, funders such as the Wellcome Trust, are not limited to the ODA definition and so may use other criteria to establish in which countries they will fund.
I’m excited about the opportunities, but how can I get funding?
Funding for development-relevant research is increasing in size and is varied, from small travel grants to long-term international research projects. To help you navigate the major funding opportunities we have created this funding overview and are constantly adding new open funding calls available in the UK and internationally. Talking to research managers in your institution is also a great way to find out about opportunities relevant to your area of work and to be connected with people who may be looking for your skills.
I don’t have the right connections and contacts for global development research – how can I build them?
Building strong and equitable partnerships with people in other disciplines and the communities affected by the challenge you are tackling is vital for developing appropriate solutions that are more likely to be effective. To help you we’ve put together a networking and partnerships resource with tips for building partnerships and a list organisations that can help you to connect with other people. Do you know of other organisations that we should add to the list? Contact us.
How can I combine excellent research and impact in global development?
Our top 20 impact stories show how impact and research excellence co-exist in global development. Research excellence is vital in global development with deep understanding and new knowledge needed to develop breakthroughs to long-term intractable challenges and view problems from new perspectives. But getting that research into use (‘impact’) in academia, communities or policy is also vital to achieve the rapid transformations envisaged, for instance in the UN Global Goals.
There are no simple predictors of potential benefit or outcomes, and no single measure of impact. Impact can include creating and sharing new knowledge and innovation; inventing groundbreaking new products, companies and jobs; developing new and improving existing public services and policy; enhancing quality of life and health; and much more.
Some aspects to think about when considering impact include the relevance of your research to the wider world, working closely from the beginning of your research project with the people who may use or benefit from your research, building long-term partnerships and networks and communicating your work to wider audiences.
Want more ideas or information? The Global Ghallenges Research Fund (GCRF) ODA guidance includes questions to think about when considering your Pathway to Impact. Read UKRI’s page on excellence and impact or information on impact by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).