Enduring, equitable partnerships are fundamental to our research, learning and teaching work. We work with governments, philanthropic foundations, private sector actors, academic and civil society organisations to transform approaches to progressive social, political and economic change. These strategic collaborations are key to generating the knowledge, leadership and action required to achieve more equitable and sustainable development globally.
Read more about our vision and strategy
Transforming knowledge and lives through our partnerships
In 2022-23 we had contractual research, learning and funding
partnerships with almost 500 partners in over 50 countries around the world, but are engaging with many more. These range from multi-country research consortiums, collaborations between local, national and international teams, research to policy initiatives and community-driven projects that connect local researchers and activists with small businesses, practitioners and service providers.
Work with us
We are committed to working with existing and new partners to:
- Expand our international research and mutual learning networks for development
Our specially established International Initiatives are co-generating research, teaching and policy engagement activities in locations where we are already involved with a critical mass of projects and partners. Currently, these locations include Brazil, China, Europe, Ghana and Pakistan. The hubs are facilitating the sharing of knowledge and experiences, with the aim of meeting both domestic development priorities and influencing development agendas internationally. Each hub is driven by a shared vision and set of contextually relevant activities that are developed and agreed in partnership. - Enrich and extend our European engagements
We are intensifying interactions with our strategic partners, including alumni, in European countries to contribute actively to European development networks. We also seek to influence and shape the UK’s future approaches to international research partnerships, promoting the value of maintaining existing European collaborations that can play an important role in transforming the knowledge needed for development globally. - Ensure inclusive and diverse approaches to research and teaching
We are deepening and strengthening alliances with strategic partners with whom we share core values, emphasising enduring and long-lived relationships, as a key way to engage with broader debates around how knowledge is privileged and prioritised and what this means for Development Studies. In 2019-20 we had 28 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with universities, social movements and others across the world, including national revenue authorities and national schools of public administration. Our MoUs largely focus on research and learning collaborations, but we have recently developed three pilot teaching agreements that facilitate dual master’s degrees taught across two countries.
Our partnership values in practice
Our values are core to who we are, what we stand for and how we behave. They apply equally to how IDS members (staff, students, alumni and associates) work together within the Institute and how we work with partners and sub-contractors. We strive to be respectful, inclusive, resourceful and excellent.
IDS community
Our IDS community network also play a critical role in our strategy. These include alumni, current and former Visiting Fellows, Honorary Associates, funders, and those who have participated in our professional development and learning programmes.