Globally Challenged: the future of ODA funding

Photo by Annie Spratt 

These are uncertain times for those undertaking work with colleagues in the global south. After five years of significant investment through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Newton Fund, there’s a cooler wind blowing through the official development assistance (ODA) landscape. 

Seven Steps to Perfect Partnerships

Meshing about (Photo by Kumiko SHIMIZU on Unsplash)

As funders increasingly push for larger, strategic grants through such schemes as the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Industrial Strategy Challenges Fund, research development officers in universities are having to stimulate and support interdisciplinary teams of researchers working together, often for the first time.

This is no easy task. It is something I’ve been grappling with since I started in research development more than a decade ago. It is become more pressing in my new role as director of Eastern Arc, the regional research consortium that brings together the universities of East Anglia, Essex and Kent.

Horizon Scan: Research Funding in 2020

2020: all eyes to the horizon

What does 2020 hold in store for those working in the world of research funding? Here's what's on the horizon in the months ahead.
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What You Need to Know: Applying for GCRF Funding

Photo by Thomas Young on Unsplash

GCRF is not straightforward: there are important caveats and qualifications that all applicants should be aware of before they tentatively dip their toe in the GCRF waters.

Global Challenges and Newton Fund: a Half Day Workshop

At a time when many funders are freezing or limiting their spending, the Government is investing heavily in research collaboration with developing (or ODA recipient) countries. This is primarily through the Global Challenges Fund and the Newton Fund. Following information days on both of these last year, this GROW event is an opportunity to talk about your plans with award holders, reviewers and funders, as well as other applicants. In addition, the workshop coincides with a visit by a small delegation of colleagues from Malaysian universities and Ministry of Higher Education. The full programme is given below.

The workshop is free and open to all at Kent and Eastern ARC partners, and refreshments (including lunch) will be provided, but places are limited and offered on a first come first served basis. Please register here.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. 

Global Challenges Research Fund: A Primer

Introduction

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) was announced in last year’s spending review (December 2015), and came as something of a surprise to the sector. The previous spending review (2010) had protected the research budget from the worst ravages of austerity, but it was still a flat settlement, and funding was looking a little threadbare five years in.

George Osborne, the Chancellor at the time, sought to remedy this somewhat, and announced that the research budget would rise from £4.7bn to £5.2bn by the end of the parliament (2020).

Source: THE

However, there was a catch. The extra £1.5bn would come from a different pot. It would not come from the budget of the Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills, but rather from International Development, and would aim ‘to develop new solutions to the complex multidimensional problems faced by developing countries.’ Note how the Science budget stagnates in the chart on the right, and GCRF rises.