Introduction to the Global Challenges Research Fund GCRF

Introduction to the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

GCRF overview • New £ 1. 5 Bn investment over 5 years, 2016 -17 to 2020 -21. • Funds research projects which tackle international development issues. • Part of UK’s commitment to spend 0. 7% of GNI on Official Development Assistance (ODA). • All GCRF funded projects must directly and primarily assist countries on the DAC list of eligible ODA recipients. 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

DAC list countries 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

What is ODA? • “ODA is defined as those flows to countries and territories on the DAC List of ODA Recipients… which are provided by official agencies… and is administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective…” • Research directly and primarily relevant to the problems of developing countries may be counted as ODA. • The costs may still be counted as ODA if the research is carried out in a developed country. However GCRF calls strongly encourage research co-produced alongside partners in DAC list countries. 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

Priority challenge areas 1. Secure and resilient food systems supported by sustainable agriculture systems 2. Sustainable health and well being 3. Inclusive and equitable quality education 4. Clean air, water and sanitation 5. Renewable energy and materials 6. Sustainable livelihoods supported by strong foundations for inclusive economic growth and innovation 7. Resilience and action on short-term environmental shocks and long-term environmental change 8. Sustainable cities and communities 9. Understanding and effectively responding to forced displacement and multiple refugee crises 10. Reducing conflict and promoting peace, justice and humanitarian action 11. Reducing poverty and inequality, including gender inequalities 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

GCRF so far • 19 different calls have been announced • Mixture of direct allocation and open calls • No successful applicants yet but we are collating feedback • Evaluators and managers very much still finding their feet! 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

How is Tuo. S responding? • ESRC £ 40 K to the university • EPSRC £ 365 k to the university • New web portal • Events & networking opportunities • Steering committee • Expert panel • RCUK internal competition. 27/10/2020 © The University of Sheffield

GCRF Best Practice • Generally need to work alongside local partners in DAC list countries (academic and non-academic). • Issue your research tackles should be identified by the partner country as a developmental priority. • Need a detailed, evidenced case for pathways to impact. • Be aware of the constraints and risks of development research. • Take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to tackling global challenges. • Worth thinking of potential projects and developing partnerships in advance of calls being released. 25/10/2016 © The University of Sheffield

Further information • Website: https: //www. sheffield. ac. uk/ris/application/ gcrf • Contacts: • Melanie Knight (m. knight@sheffield. ac. uk) • Peter Caven (p. caven@sheffield. ac. uk) 27/10/2020 © The University of Sheffield

To Discover And Understand.

Building International Partnerships Mark Sinclair Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures grantham. sheffield. ac. uk @granthamcsf #gcsf 2015

Introduction • Career Government Science & Engineering professional. On secondment to Uo. S • Formerly UK Science & Innovation Network (SIN), a joint network of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office & BIS. S&I Network - 90 people, 28 countries and territories, 46 cities » British High Commission, New Delhi: Regional Manager, India, Middle East & Africa » British Embassy Paris: Regional Manager, Europe West » British Consulate-General Boston: H. M Consul, Science & Innovation

Outline • Why partner • What makes a good partnership • Identifying possible partners • Local support • Networks and resources to establish and develop partnerships

Why partner for ODA work? • Development challenges are complex and require creative approaches, working in teams across disciplines and sectors • Its all about making a difference. Solutions, or a detailed, evidenced pathway to impact, need to be designed based on a deep understanding of the local context • International partnerships are either essential or strongly advised for access to the new funds (GCRF; Newton Fund; SPHEi. R; Dfi. D funding; Ross Fund; Cross-Government Prosperity Fund)

What makes a good partnership? • A common, shared vision and purpose and realistically defined goals • Support for the partnership from participating organisations • Equitable sharing of resources, responsibilities, and benefits • Transparent decision-making • Creation of genuine respect and trust between the partners • Pursuit and achievement of higher level outcomes beyond the partnership itself “Perspectives on Partnerships”, ILAC brief No. 25, April 2010 via www. UKCDS. org. uk

Identifying international partners • Who do you, your consortium and your department know? – Existing relevant research links; current or former International PDRAs, Ph. Ds and graduates; Departmental relationships? • Need help? – Local support: International Partnerships team; RIS; SIID fellowship – University networks (UUKi; WUN; ACU) – Professional and learned society networks – UK government networks in country (SIN, RCUK, DFID, DIT, British Council)

Local support • International Partnerships team – Can provide advice and market intelligence; – manage international relationships with university and corporate partners and the Worldwide Universities Network • Sheffield Institute for International Development - fellowship of over 70 scholars with a network of academic and practitioner partners in governments, think tanks and NGOs around the world. • Research & Innovation Services resources and contacts for potential applicants to the GCRF, Newton Fund etc, https: //www. sheffield. ac. uk/ris/application/gcrf

Networks for identifying international partners • University networks: – Universities UK International – policy links; networks; Newton Fund Ph. D partnering service and collaboration noticeboard – World Universities Network (South Africa, Ghana, China) – Association of Commonwealth Universities (networks among 500+ member institutions in over 50 countries across the Commonwealth) • Professional and learned society networks (networks and mobility grants) • UK government networks eg SIN – market intelligence; contacts; collaboration workshops, study tours etc

Funding to build partnerships Small mobility and workshop funds can be valuable for developing partnerships, eg: • Newton Fund ‘People’ strand: researcher links; workshop grants; institutional links, Ph. D exchanges; faculty exchanges/fellowships www. newtonfund. ac. uk • Learned Societies, professional institutions eg Royal Society of Chemistry • And, look out for invitations to workshops to shape future international research calls!

The Newton Fund people strand PEOPLE STRAND PROGRAMME STRAND TRANSLATION STRAND Governance, Strategy, Programme Management 16 countries, now runs to 2021, extra £ 435 M

Royal Society of Chemistry • Wide range of small funding opportunities, e. g: – Researcher Mobility (£ 7. 5 K for Ph. D/early career researchers) – Research Fund (£ 4 k for research, useful for collaborators in developing countries) – Developing World Scholarships for analytical chemistry (3 months training in UK) – Small travel grants for scientific meetings, up to £ 2 k. Researcher mobility Research Fund grants £ 4 K • International Exchange Scheme (with RSoc), £ 12 k over 2 years. Annual call, closing 18 th October

The RSC Pan Africa Chemistry Network • The RSC’s Pan Africa Chemistry Network connects the global chemical science community to build capacity and enable excellence in the chemical sciences across Africa. • Valuable network for international partnerships, 1700+ members • PACN Congress 2016: Sustainable water for Africa. Some funding available for speakers. Partnership building opportunity. Registration opens this week. • Contact Dr Helen Driver, Senior Programme Manager, Africa, driverh@rsc. org

Further guidance • UK Collaborative for Development Science (UKCDS): a small secretariat supporting the work of 14 UK government departments and research funders working in international development – Organises events to share knowledge; – maintains a Researcher Hub with case studies of successful development science; tips and advice on building effective partnerships; and – a funding hub to signpost opportunities.

Summary • No one size fits all but have attempted to set out a generic approach, and signpost some tools and resources • Local support is available – RIS and International Partnerships. • Aim to build a community that works on ODA projects to share good practice • Presentation draws extensively on UKCDS material – well worth a read!

Thank you mark. sinclair@sheffield. ac. uk grantham. sheffield. ac. uk @granthamcsf #gcsf 2015

Sheffield Global Humanities Initiative Mike Braddick

• There is no problem in contemporary life which does not have a human dimension. Research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences is a rich source of critical reflection on all aspects of individual and collective life, and is therefore central to any genuine understanding of contemporary society. Researchers in these fields work on individuals and whole societies; they work on the selfunderstanding of individuals and groups, and also on the external factors that shape them, as well as on the interaction between the two; and they work on how history and personal experience shapes individual and collective lives, setting limits and creating possibilities. • Work along these three axes—individual to collective, internal to external, and from past to present and future—is crucial to a full understanding of all contemporary problems, from the workings of the global economy, to our interaction with the environment, or the pursuit of individual happiness and of social cohesion. Human behaviour, individual and collective, is at the heart of these issues, and research in Arts, Humanities and Social Science has a fundamental value in understanding contemporary life.

The Sheffield Global Humanities Initiative will champion education and research in these areas, making the case to a variety of audiences and seeking to influence public policy to support the leading role of UK researchers in these areas, including those based in Sheffield. In doing so it will establish the credentials of Sheffield University as a key place for work dealing with global challenges. It will run for an initial period of 3 years from September 2016 with four major goals: • to raise the profile of Sheffield’s research in Arts, Humanities and Social Science, with a particular emphasis on those activities that relate to global challenges at the forefront of public debate • to support lobbying work to promote education and research in these areas • to help to promote global partnerships in these disciplines • and to help Sheffield researchers access Global Challenge Research funding

IMPACT & GCRF Cliona Boyle Institutional Impact Coordinator

GCRF Impact is the change or benefit outside academia that comes from excellent research. RCUK call – Pathways to impact Impact monitoring & evaluation Understanding context: baseline data Evaluation Design http: //www. sheffield. ac. uk/ris/2. 18660/planning_toolkit http: //www. 3 ieimpact. org/en/evaluation/evidence-gap-maps/

Questions? 27/10/2020 © The University of Sheffield

Networking Brunch Questions for discussion at your tables: • How could the challenge areas intersect? • How could your research relate to the challenge areas? • Do you have any contacts in DAC list countries? • Do you have any project ideas in mind? • What research expertise/partners could help you? Please be ready to share three things that your table would like to share with the rest of the group. 27/10/2020 © The University of Sheffield