A commitment to drive our strategic activities from a place of knowledge, analysis and evidence allows us to build greater coherence by facilitating funders’ collective understanding of their activities and priorities. To achieve this, we: map major UK research ODA investments, analyse data and highlight funding gaps and opportunities, identify future research trends, and support efforts to jointly evaluate the outcomes and impact of ODA research investments.
Our work
Our strategy for 2018-2022 was adopted by our SCOR Board in May 2018 and is aligned with the 2015 UK Aid Strategy and the UN Global Goals.
At UKCDR’s core is a principal commitment to mapping and analysing the UK international development research spend, which underpins and guides each ensuing strand of our work and allows us to be in a unique position to advise and support our members and partners. Our remaining activities are built upon this strong foundation of knowledge and evidence.
Our strategy for 2018-2022 was adopted at a meeting of our SCOR Board in May 2018. Staying flexible to respond to the rapidly changing world in which we operate, we have four integrated and overlapping aims:
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Mapping, analysis and foresight
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Convening for collaboration and joint action
To ensure international development research is effective, we support our members and partners across civil society, business, philanthropy and academia to work collaboratively and in partnership. We convene impartial fora on key themes, broker dialogue between sectors, engage international stakeholders and coordinate rapid research responses to new priorities.
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Sharing information, learning and best practice
Our networks bring decades of expertise of work at the interface of research and international development. We make the most of this experience by acting as a go-to source of information and knowledge for the international development research landscape, by producing best practice guidance, tools and resources, and by supporting our community to capture lessons learnt around areas of common interest.
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Being a collective voice to shape policy
Through our high-level SCOR Board, UKCDR is well-positioned to provide a collective voice to inform and shape policy and strengthen the international profile and capacity of UK international development. Working with our members, we promote shared accountability, support coherent priority setting, and encourage dialogue to strengthen rationale for research investments. Ultimately, we aim to ensure that research funded is usable, accessible, and has an impact on people in developing countries.
We do not fund UK international development research, but perform a fundamental function that spans across UK government and other research funders. In providing a coherent picture of the UK’s spend on international development research, we will harness the true power of UK-funded research to address the major challenges that confront our evolving world.
Report
Finding and building effective and equitable research collaborations or partnerships
This report explores the role that funders play throughout the research lifecycle to select & build partnerships. Seven in-depth case studies exemplify the range of programmes & structures used.
Report
Striking the Balance: competition, collaboration and impact in research funding calls
This report provides insight from international development research funders and a menu of activities to pick-and-choose from to maximise competition, collaboration and impact.
Report
Five key trends driving change in research for development
In this report we identify five key trends that will drive change in the research for development landscape over the coming decade, based on interviews and research.