Networks and partnerships

When trying to link research, policy and practice, individual researchers or organisations can have greater impact by working collaboratively. This can take many forms and serve many purposes, but our work has focused mainly on developing partnerships, networks and communities of practice.

These collaborative ways of working are important for gathering, assessing and sharing knowledge and learning. They can be cost-effective methods for accessing or providing goods and services to a large constituency or membership. They can also promote the sustainability of interventions and can support the ownership of development research, policy and practice.

When communicating research, collaboration can also develop and promote one strong voice and give their members and supporters the credibility to allow that voice to be heard in the policy process.

Of course, developing strong partnerships and effective networks can take a long time and requires significant resources and dedication from its members.

RAPID has developed a useful approach to help those interested in forming or managing networks do so more effectively: the Network Functions Approach (NFA). The six network functions suggested in the approach – filtering, amplifying, convening, facilitating, community building, and investing or providing – underpin much of our research on the topic.