Abstract
UKCDR, the UK Collaborative on Development Research, amplifies the value and impact of research for global development by promoting coherence, collaboration, and joint action among UK research funders. For over a decade, UKCDR has been providing UK research funders with tools, analysis, and good practice to support their evidence-informed decision-making processes to address global challenges.
An underlying principle for effective collaboration and cooperation is the notion of equity. In partnership with ESSENCE on health, we have developed a good practice document supporting funders, institutions, and academics with recommendations on how to embed equity in research partnerships. Following this and of relevance to the work of EDCTP, we are analysing the types of partnerships funders of research for development are developing, the extent to which equity has been defined and/or put into practice, and lessons learned on how to support equitable relationships between research funders to guide future partnership development processes.
Among other strengths of UKCDR is our mapping and analysis work which has provided funders with crucial information on the research landscape on a variety of topics to help shape funding responses. This is exemplified by our COVID CIRCLE initiative (delivered in collaboration with GloPID-R) which features an online tool containing details of more than 20,000 projects awarded by more than 300 funders globally in relation to COVID-19 – which proved to be a valuable tool in helping funders, policymakers, and researchers understand research gaps and potential areas for collaboration to deliver a more effective and coherent global research response to the pandemic. Following its success, we are expanding this work (titled Pandemic PACT) to cover a wider range of epidemic prone diseases and broader epidemic and pandemic research preparedness activities – thereby enhancing collaboration and coherence at a larger scale.
Funding source: various funders (incl UK research funders, government)
