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 ODI/INASP
Research-Policy Symposium, Oxford, November 16th/17th 2006
The development context is changing fast. As a result of the Africa
Commission, UK Presidency of the G8, Make Poverty History Campaign
and the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness inter alia, development
agencies and other funders have promised a substantial increase
in aid, greater harmonisation and more budget support, and a renewed
emphasis on the importance of science and technology in the development
process. While continuing to deliver vital services, Civil Society
Organisations are increasingly involved in government policy formulation
and implementation, the media is becoming a more powerful voice
in an increasingly democratic world, and private investment is the
main driver of change in all but the poorest countries.
In this context, the effective communication of basic and applied
natural and social science research and its transformation into
knowledge and practice, by researchers, policy makers, bureaucrats
and information professionals will be key to the achievement and
progress beyond the Millennium Development Goals.
Similar processes have been the focus of attention in developed
countries for the last two decades, with an explosion of public
information on science and technology, and an emphasis on evidence-based
policy. Many tools and approaches have been developed in the UK
and elsewhere which may also be useful in developing countries.
Over the last decade, INASP has become an important player in improving
access to scientific knowledge for southern researchers, policy
makers and practitioners, and facilitating their contribution to
local, national and global knowledge, and has developed a network
of information professionals across 40 countries to support this.
Over the last 5 years, ODI's RAPID programme has undertaken research
and has developed some simple tools to help researchers, policy
makers, practitioners and intermediaries ensure that knowledge gets
into policy and practice, and is building a network of organisations
in the north and south to help knowledge producers to engage with
policy processes. There is an active community of academics, consultants
and NGOs based in Oxford who are working on these issues with useful
lessons to share, and keen to learn more about how their research
or programmes could contribute more effectively to development.
This Symposium brought together 60 network members from INASP and
ODI, together with northern and southern partners from Oxfam, INTRAC,
IIED, IDS and others, and the development and evidence-based policy
community in Oxford, to share experiences on how information professionals,
scientists and policy makers can work together to promote evidence-informed
policy, and learn new skills.
The Symposium consisted of two parts. The first 'conference-style'
day included key-note presentations on evidence-based policy in
the South and North, overview presentations exploring the role of
researchers, information professionals and donors, and a selection
of participant case studies. This was followed by breakout groups
enabling participants to share current state-of-the-art knowledge
and practical experience. The second 'workshop-style' day offered
participants the choice from a number of more practical workshops
introducing a range of potentially useful tools and approaches,
with opportunities for participants to try some of them out.
Further information:
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