IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v12y2023i4p791-d1112704.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rethinking North–South Research Partnerships Amidst Global Uncertainties: Leveraging Lessons Learned from UK GCRF Projects during COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Anghileri

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • Matt Kandel

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

  • Melanie C. Austen

    (School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Vikki V. Cheung

    (School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Helen Coskeran

    (Horizons Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Adam J. M. Devenish

    (Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK)

  • Patrick S. M. Dunlop

    (Nanotechnology and Integrated BioEngineering Centre, Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1AP, UK)

  • Mawuli Dzodzomenyo

    (Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon P.O. Box LG 13, Ghana)

  • Hong C. Goh

    (Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia)

  • Sithembile Mwamakamba

    (Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Pretoria 0184, South Africa)

  • Vanessa Ross

    (Nanotechnology and Integrated BioEngineering Centre, Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1AP, UK)

  • John Spafford

    (Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3EA, UK)

  • Precious Yeki

    (National Agricultural Marketing Council, Pretoria 0002, South Africa)

  • Genevieve Agaba

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK)

Abstract

International research and development projects (or grand challenge projects) consist of multicultural, multi-country, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at poverty reduction. They are usually conceived as partnerships between actors in the global north–south. The COVID-19 pandemic was a major unexpected disruption to ongoing projects and challenged their already complex management. The aim of this paper is to present evidence on how international development projects were impacted by COVID-19 with a particular focus on the relationship between research institutions in the north and south. We conducted a mixed-methods research study, combining a reflective exercise with the co-author team and a survey with principal investigators, project managers, and capacity development leads drawn from 31 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) projects funded through the UK government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) and focused on social–ecological system research. The survey contained closed- and open-ended questions in order to (i) demonstrate how those involved in managing projects adapted to risks, including both threats and opportunities, presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, and (ii) consider the implications for tailoring adaptive management approaches in international research projects amidst uncertainties, with a special focus on enhancing equities in global north–south partnerships. The paper offers the following recommendations on designing, planning, and implementing international research and development projects: (i) devolve project management in order to enhance project resilience and improve north–south equities; (ii) allocate dedicated resources to enable equitable north–south research partnerships; (iii) rely more on hybrid and agile approaches for managing a project’s life cycle; and (iv) improve resource flexibility, transparency, and communication through enhanced funder–implementer collaboration.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Anghileri & Matt Kandel & Melanie C. Austen & Vikki V. Cheung & Helen Coskeran & Adam J. M. Devenish & Patrick S. M. Dunlop & Mawuli Dzodzomenyo & Hong C. Goh & Sithembile Mwamakamba & Vanessa, 2023. "Rethinking North–South Research Partnerships Amidst Global Uncertainties: Leveraging Lessons Learned from UK GCRF Projects during COVID-19," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:4:p:791-:d:1112704
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/4/791/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/4/791/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kyle R. Myers & Wei Yang Tham & Yian Yin & Nina Cohodes & Jerry G. Thursby & Marie C. Thursby & Peter Schiffer & Joseph T. Walsh & Karim R. Lakhani & Dashun Wang, 2020. "Unequal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 880-883, September.
    2. Giuliana Viglione, 2020. "Are women publishing less during the pandemic? Here’s what the data say," Nature, Nature, vol. 581(7809), pages 365-366, May.
    3. Smriti Mallapaty, 2020. "Scientists’ worlds will shrink in the wake of the pandemic," Nature, Nature, vol. 582(7811), pages 169-170, June.
    4. X. Cai & C. V. Fry & C. S. Wagner, 2021. "International collaboration during the COVID-19 crisis: autumn 2020 developments," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(4), pages 3683-3692, April.
    5. Chris Woolston, 2020. "Pandemic darkens postdocs’ work and career hopes," Nature, Nature, vol. 585(7824), pages 309-312, September.
    6. Vallejo, Bertha & Wehn, Uta, 2016. "Capacity Development Evaluation: The Challenge of the Results Agenda and Measuring Return on Investment in the Global South," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1-13.
    7. Luca Bonacini & Giovanni Gallo & Sergio Scicchitano, 2021. "Working from home and income inequality: risks of a ‘new normal’ with COVID-19," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 34(1), pages 303-360, January.
    8. Vallejo, B. & Wehn, U., 2016. "Capacity development evaluation : The challenge of the results agenda and measuring return on investment in the global south," Other publications TiSEM d22bbdd5-5e29-404a-9ca8-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    9. Milan Klöwer & Debbie Hopkins & Myles Allen & James Higham, 2020. "An analysis of ways to decarbonize conference travel after COVID-19," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7816), pages 356-359, July.
    10. Josie Glausiusz, 2021. "Rethinking travel in a post-pandemic world," Nature, Nature, vol. 589(7840), pages 155-157, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giovanni Abramo & Ciriaco Andrea D’Angelo & Ida Mele, 2022. "Impact of Covid-19 on research output by gender across countries," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 6811-6826, December.
    2. Constantin Bürgi & Klaus Wohlrabe, 2022. "The influence of Covid-19 on publications in economics: bibliometric evidence from five working paper series," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(9), pages 5175-5189, September.
    3. Brad M. Barber & Wei Jiang & Adair Morse & Manju Puri & Heather Tookes & Ingrid M. Werner, 2021. "What Explains Differences in Finance Research Productivity during the Pandemic?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(4), pages 1655-1697, August.
    4. Eger, Claudia & Miller, Graham & Scarles, Caroline, 2018. "Gender and capacity building: A multi-layered study of empowerment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 207-219.
    5. Alexandra Xan C. H. Nowakowski, 2023. "Same Old New Normal: The Ableist Fallacy of “Post-Pandemic” Work," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 11(1), pages 16-25.
    6. Aga, Deribe Assefa, 2016. "Factors affecting the success of development projects : A behavioral perspective," Other publications TiSEM 867ae95e-d53d-4a68-ad46-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Yehyun An & Ralph P. Hall & Taekwan Yoon, 2021. "The Complex Relationship between Capacity and Infrastructure Project Delivery: The Case of the Indian National Urban Renewal Mission," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-15, August.
    8. David Sims & David Nicholas & Carol Tenopir & Suzie Allard & Anthony Watkinson, 2023. "Pandemic Impact on Early Career Researchers in the United States," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    9. Liu, Meijun & Zhang, Ning & Hu, Xiao & Jaiswal, Ajay & Xu, Jian & Chen, Hong & Ding, Ying & Bu, Yi, 2022. "Further divided gender gaps in research productivity and collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from coronavirus-related literature," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2).
    10. Alma Espartinez, 2022. "Lived Experiences of Mothering and Teaching during the Pandemic: A Narrative Inquiry on College Faculty Mothers in the Philippines," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, December.
    11. Lucas Rodriguez Forti & Luiz A. Solino & Judit K. Szabo, 2021. "Trade-off between urgency and reduced editorial capacity affect publication speed in ecological and medical journals during 2020," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Kwon, Eunrang & Yun, Jinhyuk & Kang, Jeong-han, 2023. "The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on gendered research productivity and its correlates," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1).
    13. Shradha Kundra & Naman Sreen & Rohit Dwivedi, 2023. "Impact of Work from Home and Family Support on Indian Women’s Work Productivity During COVID-19," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 48(1), pages 39-53, March.
    14. Kablan P. Kacou & Lavagnon A. Ika & Lauchlan T. Munro, 2022. "Fifty years of capacity building: Taking stock and moving research forward," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(4), pages 215-232, October.
    15. Gamo, Bereket Roba & Park, Duk-Byeong, 2022. "Community capacity influencing community participation: Evidence from Ethiopia," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    16. An, Yehyun & Garvin, Michael J. & Hall, Ralph P., 2017. "Pathways to Better Project Delivery: The Link Between Capacity Factors and Urban Infrastructure Projects in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 393-405.
    17. Springer, Emily, 2021. "Caught between winning repeat business and learning: Reactivity to output indicators in international development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    18. Minna-Liina Ojala & Lauri Hooli, 2022. "Development Cooperation as a Knowledge Creation Process: Rhythmanalytical Approach to a Capacity-Building Project in Zanzibar," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(1), pages 367-386, February.
    19. Kim, Jung Eun, 2018. "Technological capacity building through energy aid: Empirical evidence from renewable energy sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 449-458.
    20. Richard Axelby & Bethel Worku‐Dix & Emma Crewe, 2022. "Global partnerships on paper and in practice: Critical observations from inside a Global Challenge Research Fund capacity‐development project," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(8), pages 1496-1508, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:4:p:791-:d:1112704. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.