This policy panel is the second part of two panels at the conference with the same title. The first part is an academic panel where three researchers from the global south present papers directly related to the conference theme.
The panel addresses the question in the title through a discussion on how development research could and should be organised, in richer countries as well as in partner countries.
A starting point of the discussion is the set of conclusions and recommendations of a recently published EBA report, “Research Aid Revisited – a historically grounded analysis of future prospects and policy options”, written by Sverker Sörlin and David Nilsson. The EBA report “Research Capacity in the New Global Agenda: Mobility, Collaboration and Scientific production among PhD graduates supported by Swedish Development Aid” written by Måns Fellesson, provides additional insights.
Questions to discuss include, but are far from limited to:
– What are the innate roles of research and researchers (i.e. SDG targets 9.5 and 9.b), that is, not just as knowledge providers on how to achieve and (in proper context) address other SDG goals, but as goals in themselves?
– What does a future of shared problems and challenges mean to the idea of development research? How should the global science regime act upon Agenda 2030 – opportunities and challenges?
– How should donor countries work to equalize research opportunities and competence globally?
Participants:
• Sverker Sörlin, Professor, Division for History of Science, Technology and Environment, KTH, Stockholm
• Lemma W. Senbet, Professor, Executive Director, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)
• Nada Al-Nashif ADG (Assistant Director-General) for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO
• Professor Hannah Akuffo, Sida
Chair and moderator:
Helena Lindholm, Chair the Expert Group for Aid Studies.
Organisers:
Jan Pettersson, PhD, managing director and Eva Mineur, PhD, programme manager, The Expert Group for Aid Studies, Sweden
The Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) is a government committee that has been set up in order to improve Swedish development cooperation and to build up a long-term, high-quality knowledge-base. In fulfilling this task, we engage researchers and experts to carry out studies on different themes and issues that are relevant for Swedish development assistance.