Managing Research for Maximum Development Impact

A workshop session during the DSA/BOND Stakeholder Conference on the Research / Practice Interfact at The School of Oriental and African Studies, London

Organised by NR International

NR International would like to use the platform offered by this workshop to stimulate open discussion among a wide variety of stakeholders about research management approaches for better development impact. Are their perceptions similar or different in response to questions such as:

• What mechanisms need to be in place for meaningful and useful research to be carried out?
• What are the benefits and problems of the current models, such as independent research management or multi-institutional consortia?
• Should Natural Resources research be treated differently from research in other sectors?

Through this workshop, we also intend to contribute to on-going discussion in DFID on the development of its science and innovation strategy so that future engagement becomes more meaningful for researchers, practitioners and the ultimate clients alike, by reducing the length, complexity and instability of the bridge between research and practice.

Four experienced panellists drawn from the research community, the private sector and NGOs will kick off the debate which will cover the following:

• Research for development is increasingly linked to the attainment of international targets and processes, such as MDGs and PRSPs. How relevant are those for the "practitioners" on the ground and what does research contribute?
• From a practitioner's point of view, how should research be managed and structured, so that it provides usable and adaptable results that benefit the poor?
• What are the best research management models? Should different models be adopted for natural science and social science programmes?
• Donor policies and practices evolve speedily. How can enough flexibility be built into the models for research management and contractual arrangements to enable efficient matching of problems and research activities, while also satisfying accounting requirements?
• Is the currently prevailing disciplinary segmentation in research helpful to practice in a Sustainable Livelihoods context? What are the pros and cons of cross-sectoral research?
• What are the optimal time horizons to ensure research programmes/projects effectively implement and utilise research outputs to achieve livelihoods impact?
• How can a sensible balance be struck between resolving the short-term demands of end-users versus tackling the likely long-term opportunities and future problems perceived by others?

Page last updated: 2 May, 2005