1. Research in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities
ARMA Conference – Liverpool 6th June 2017
Arwen Bate Dr William Mitchell Martina Savio
Research Development Manager Strategic Projects & Research Information Manager
LSTM Partnerships Manager (Int’l) LSTM University of Liverpool

2. Outline
Intro: Why are we here?
International Development Context
GCRF and ODA Overview
Challenges & Opportunities - Discussion

3. Why are we here?

4. International Development Context
Millennium Development Goals
Eight goals with 21 measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people.
189 countries signed the millennium declaration at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000.
Target date of achievement: 2015

5. Global Context - UN Sustainable Development Goals
169 Targets
‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’

6. 0.7% of GNI on Aid (ODA)
In 2013, the UK became the only G20 country to achieve the UN target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance (ODA)

7. Strategy for UK Contribution to SDGs
How the UK is delivering on each goal ‘around the world’ and ‘at home’
10 of the 17 goal responses directly reference the UK investing in research and innovation

8. New Approach to UK aid
2015 UK aid strategy announced a new cross-government approach to aid
Spending review saw a significant redistribution of aid spend across Government Departments
An increase in spending for research for international development

9. Major Non-DFID AID Programmes
BEIS includes
£1.5bn Global Challenges Research Fund
£735M Newton Fund
DH includes £460M Ross Fund Portfolio
£450M Global Health Research Fund
Source: ICAI Report
NOTE: Fund allocation subject to change

10. Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Newton Fund
GCRF - £1.5 billion,
UK Research Councils, National Academies, InnovateUK, the Higher Education funding councils
Challenge-led research with elements of:
ODA statement
Pathways to impact
Multi-/inter-disciplinary approaches
Building international partnerships
Research capacity/capability building
Newton Fund - £735 million,
Bi-lateral: Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Turkey, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Africa and wider Africa; India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

11. ODA statement
Which country/countries on the DAC list will directly benefit from this proposal and are these countries likely to continue to be ODA eligible for the duration of the research?
How is your proposal directly and primarily relevant to the development challenges of these countries?
How do you expect that the outcome of your proposed activities will promote the economic development and welfare of a country or countries on the DAC list?
Why an ODA statement?
ODA is a key measure for aid targets and assessing aid performance
OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) defines what type of spending can count as ODA.
UK government is counting some research funding as ODA.
So research funders, universities and researchers are in turn being required to meet ODA requirements.

12. Addressing ODA 2015 UK Aid strategy
‘the most vulnerable populations, … in poorly resourced settings’
‘no-one left behind’
UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development
17 goals, 169 targets

13. ODA – all about the impact
Impact summary
Who benefits
What the benefits are
ODA statement
DAC list
Relevance to country’s challenges
How activities will promote economic benefits
Pathways to impact
How impact will be realised
(activities, timescales, milestones, resources)

14. 4. Challenges & Opportunities
Intro and format
Themes:
Impact-led multidisciplinary research
Building and managing international partnerships
Operational

15. Framework for considering issues in Research in Developing Countries
Our themes:
Impact-led multidisciplinary research
Building and managing international partnerships
Operational

16. Theme 1 Impact-led multi-disciplinary research
Proposals are invited to develop and lead interdisciplinary, problem-focused research projects that address up to three development challenges as informed by UK Aid Strategy and/or the UN SDGs. Key features of the call:
Deliver research outcomes with potential for significant impact on the welfare and economic development of developing countries in line with ODA criteria;
Grow research capacity and capability, building skills across career stages in both the UK and developing countries;
Build strong and lasting relationships between UK research organisations and research organisations and other partners (e.g. NGOs, governments and business) in developing countries;
Projects can be up to 4 years duration totalling £10 million.
There is a limit of 2 proposals per institution.
Closing date for proposals is 2 November 2017

17. Discussion questions
What issues can you identify in responding to this call, particularly:
adopting a multi/inter-disciplinary approach;
engaging faculties or schools who haven’t worked in developing countries before;
building research capacity;
ensuring impact.
How would you maximise the response from your institution to this call?
Given the limit of 2 proposals per institution, how would you handle demand management?

18. Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships
Why do we want LMIC research partners?
The need for multi/inter-disciplinary research and highly collaborative approach to achieve SDGs
GCRF ethos of “doing things with people and not simply for or to them”
Academics and research team are motivated to achieve impact and benefit
Requirement of LMIC partners by funder

19. Challenges encountered working with LMIC partners
LMIC network of researchers may be new to your academic/institution
Achieving equitable collaboration across great distances, cultural and language barriers
Increased financial and reputational risk to the UK institution
Requirement for additional resources and support towards the project
Capacity building (see LSTM Capacity Research Unit flyer)

20. Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships
How can you support academics to identify international partners or build international networks?
How will you asses risk of developing country partners?
Ability to deliver throughout lifecycle of research grant
Stability and financial position
Ability to manage the grant and report on the use of funds
Where can things go wrong?

21. Theme 2 – Building and managing international partnerships
How can you support academics to identify international partners or build international networks?
Newton Funding
Internal mapping of existing LMIC partners
Other funding for partnership development (internal?)
How will you asses risk of developing country partners?
See Wellcome Trust presentation from ARMA 2016
‘Assessing Risk when working with International partners’
Due diligence process
Where can things go wrong?
Pre-Award
Je-S registration, input to project development, provision of budget and justification
Post-Award
Contracting, grant management, performance management

22. Data use & Transparency
Theme 3 – Operational
Data use & Transparency
ODA funder compliance
Duty of Care
Risk Management
Ethics

23. Theme 3 - Operational Why a case study on data use and transparency?
Source: [ ]

24. Theme 3 - Operational

25. Theme 3 - Operational UK signs up to IATI 2011
2010
UK Aid Transparency Guarantee
UK signs up to IATI
2011
DFID 1st to use IATI standard
Development Tracker portal
2015
New UK ODA strategy
Partners to meet transparency standards
AccountabilityOpen Data, Beneficiary feedback, Accessible information

26. Your institution holds several DFID funded projects.
Theme 3 - Operational
Your institution holds several DFID funded projects.
In early 2016, you are contacted and informed of a new UK Aid requirement on Aid Transparency. The letter explains that following the new UK ODA strategy published in November 2015, DFID now expects all partners to publish transparency data about aid-funded projects to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard.
The requirement aims to make data on UK Aid transparently available but you are given complete freedom in choosing your preferred reporting tool as long as information on aid is made publicly available.

27. Theme 3 - Operational
What impact does data use and transparency have in our framework?
How would you ensure colleagues comply with this requirement?
What resources would you need?

28. Theme 3 - Operational How have LSTM approached this?
What kind of impact does data use and transparency have in our framework?

29. Data use & Transparency: Where to find out more
OECD DAC website nitionandcoverage.htm and
‘Is it ODA?’
Full directives
DFID National Statistics publications
ODA GCRF Guidance:
*Aid information is published according to International Aid Transparency standards (
New UK ODA Strategy (November 2015) (

30. Wrap up CONTACTS Arwen Bate (LSTM) Arwen.Bate@lstmed.ac.uk
Research Development Manager
Dr William Mitchell (UoL)
Strategic Projects & Partnerships Manager (International)
Martina Savio (LSTM)
Research Information Manager