Global Challenges Research Fund Matthew Lodge, Senior Manager Mathematical Sciences 26 February 2018

Outline Research for sustainable development: the UK funding landscape Introducing the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) GCRF: working in partnership ODA compliance

Research for Development: The UK Funding Landscape

Global context: UN Sustainable Development Goals https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/sustainabledevelopmentgoals

UK Aid Strategy Strengthening global peace, security and governance Strengthening resilience and response to crises Promoting global prosperity Tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable the objectives set out in the UK Aid Strategy which deliver in the UK’s national interests. These include strengthening resilience and crisis response, promoting global prosperity, tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable, while ensuring value for money for the taxpayer

UK Funding for Research for Development Department for International Development (DfID) Newton Fund (£735m UK contribution; partner countries providing matched resources within the fund) The Global Challenges Research Fund GCRF (£1.5bn) Ross Fund (£1bn focused on health) Fleming Fund (£195 million focused on antimicrobial resistance) NB worth noting that These are specific funds set up for international development; however they are in addition to that the UK’s recognised strength and has a long history of funding excellent research in international development through a variety of mechanisms including through research council standard schemes and National Academies fellowships and international work

RCUK and Research for Development Some Research Councils had large existing ODA funding programmes, for example ESRC (series of joint calls with DFID) and MRC (e.g. two research units based in Africa) All seven Councils are partners in the Newton Fund, a BIS-led ODA funding initiative intended to strengthen research and innovation partnerships between the UK and emerging knowledge economies All seven Councils are partners in the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), both through individual allocations and through a common pot (Collective Fund) managed by RCUK 16 countries partner in Newton Fund, now including Kenya

Global Challenges Research Fund

Background to GCRF Address global challenges through disciplinary and interdisciplinary research Strengthening capability for research and innovation, within developing countries and the UK Agile response to emergencies and opportunities Cutting edge research which addresses the problems faced by developing countries 2015 Government Spending Review Outcomes Key aims of the Fund – cutting edge research and innovation that addresses the problems faced by developing countries

GCRF Delivery Partners

GCRF Funding, Duration, Focus £1.5 billion ODA funding 2016-2021 Distributed across 7 delivery partners Challenge led / researcher driven Interdisciplinary research with impact Strengthening capacity

GCRF: Breadth of Ambition Equitable access to sustainable development to create new knowledge and drive innovation that helps to ensure that everyone across the globe can prosper through access to health, food, water, education, energy etc. Sustainable economies and societies to identify new responses to the challenges arising from changes in population, technology, consumption and pressure on the environment Human rights, good governance and social justice to understand how to strengthen the institutions that underpin peaceful societies, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Research agenda for change (1) Leave no one behind Our vision is to create new knowledge and drive innovation that helps to ensure that everyone across the globe has access to: Secure and resilient food systems supported by sustainable marine resources and agriculture Sustainable health and well being Inclusive and equitable quality education Clean air, water and sanitation Affordable, reliable, sustainable energy 12 areas highlighted under the 3 headings. Areas in bold particularly relevant to EPSRC/this call

Research agenda for change (2) Sustainable economies and societies Our ambition is to identify new responses to the challenges arising from changes in population, technology, consumption and pressure on the environment: Sustainable livelihoods supported by strong foundations for inclusive economic growth and innovation Resilience and action on short-term environmental shocks and long- term environmental change Sustainable cities and communities Sustainable production and consumption, e.g. materials and other resources 

Research agenda for change (3) Support peace and justice Our goal is to understand how to strengthen the institutions that underpin peaceful societies, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law. We need new insights to help: Understand and effectively respond to forced displacement and multiple refugee crises Reduce conflict and promote peace, justice and humanitarian action Reduce poverty and inequality, including gender inequalities

GCRF: Key Criteria Research Excellence new approaches not constrained by traditional methodologies or disciplinary silos Official Development Assistance (ODA) compliance OECD guidelines Equitable Partnerships and Building Capacity strong and enduring partnerships between UK and developing-country researchers to enhance the research and innovation capacity of both Impact: Problem and Solution Focused substantial impact on improved social welfare, economic development, and environmental sustainability

GCRF: Working in Partnership

GCRF: Equitable Partnerships Equitable partnerships with researchers in low- and middle-income countries to: Identify research gaps and needs Co-create research questions and research outcomes Test solutions to actual problems Build research capacity in the UK and developing countries to do research for development

GCRF: Impact through partnership with non-Research Organisations Working with NGOs, CSOs, governmental agencies, multinational bodies, and others to: Identify development needs Test potential – and potential limitations – of research outcomes on real-world problems Co-design real-world implementation of solutions Input into policy

GCRF: Portfolios of Research to Address SDGs An ambition to create portfolios of research projects responding to SDGs to: Disseminate, combine, and scale up excellent research and excellent impact Have real impact on SDGs, at scale Set benchmarks for best practice in research for development Make sure that GCRF is more than the ‘sum of its parts’

Official Development Assistance (ODA) 06/07/2019

Official Development Assistance Definition agreed in 1969 by the OECD DAC (Development Assistance Committee) ODA is the key measure used in most aid targets and assessments of aid performance DAC members agree definition – UK can influence but cannot set/change the definition 1970 most DAC members agreed to long term objective of 0.7% ODA target 2004 UK govt. set target to achieve 0.7% GDP by 2013 Detailed programme level data scrutinised and published by the OECD

ODA definition Formally ODA is defined as “those flows to developing countries* and to multilateral institutions for flows to ODA recipients which are: provided by official agencies, including state and local governments, or by their executive agencies; and each transaction of which: is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective; and is concessional in character and conveys a grant element of at least 25% (discounted at a rate of 10%).” The key criterion in determining ODA eligibility is establishing economic development and welfare of developing countries as the main objective of the funding. *Countries and territories on the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) List of ODA recipients. Source of definition: http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/officialdevelopmentassistancedefinitionandcoverage.htm This is the official Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) definition of ODA. Countries are added to the DAC List based on their per capita income falling below a certain threshold. The DAC List is refreshed every three years. Of EPSRC’s priority countries for proactive bilateral engagement China and India are both on the list. The final part of the definition means to say that any loans being offered should be at preferential rates, with a minimum grant component. This definition was agreed by DAC in 1969. In 1970, DAC agreed long-term objective of 0.7% of GNI. In 2004 the UK signed up to this target, and as of March 2015 it is legally binding.

DAC list of ODA recipients Based on World Bank – GNI per capita Updated every 3 years, last reviewed 2017. 1 January 2018 – Chile, Seychelles and Uruguay graduated from the list 2020 – Antigua & Barbuda, and Palau will graduate if remain high-income countries until 2019. http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-finance-standards/DAC_List_ODA_Recipients2014to2017_flows_En.pdf

ODA compliance Will the research directly benefit a country or countries on the OECD DAC list? Is the proposal directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of this country/these countries? Could the proposal’s outcomes promote the economic development and/or welfare of a country or countries from the DAC list? 06/07/2019

Where to find out more…. http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/officialdevelopmentassistancedefinitionandcoverage.htm https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/about/statistics

Contact: Vivienne Blackstone Questions? Contact: Vivienne Blackstone international@epsrc.ac.uk 06/07/2019