Creating equity in research collaboration sounds straightforward – but it often isn’t. Whilst everyone can agree that finding ways to balance the power, resources and benefits between all partners is the right thing to do, there is often difficulty in translating aspirations for “equitable partnerships” into practical action. This can be due to complex factors such as colonial legacies and structural power imbalances in research ecosystems.
Listen to this episode on your favourite podcast provider:
Acast | Spotify | Apple | YouTube
How can these challenges be overcome? To find out, IDS Director Peter Taylor speaks to Margarita Gómez, Executive Director from Southern Voice and Kaia Ambrose, Director, Strategy, Evaluation and Learning from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
In this Between the Lines podcast they discuss why equity in research collaboration matters and talk about the challenges in achieving it, and practical steps toward action and accountability.
Listen now
Watch on YouTube
Drawing on the speakers experience on working and managing large-scale projects, often with an array of different partners, the conversation was spread over four main themes and issues:
- Knowledge asymmetry: Global debates often undervalue knowledge from the global south and Indigenous communities.
- Systemic justice: Whose knowledge counts and influences global decisions?
- Economic justice: Who benefits from research funding and agenda-setting?
- Impact: Equitable research leads to more relevant local innovations and societal benefits.
This podcast also contains questions about the importance of equity, actions and accountability, funder roles, resilience, and challenges in closing the ‘equity gap. The four main recommendations being:
- For Southern institutions, take agency, build skills, and strengthen networks.
- For Northern partners, involve Southern actors early in research design
- For funders, innovate calls for proposals, include diverse PIs, and ensure inclusivity.
- For all stakeholders, create spaces for trust-building, dialogue, and shared learning.
This podcast is a must-listen for policymakers, funders, practitioners and researchers in making sure collaboration in research is not one-sided but equitable in all areas.
About the interviewees
Margarita Gómez is Executive Director at Southern Voice, a network of Global South think-tanks focused on the sustainable development goals advancement and power rebalance in the global development sector. Margarita also has more than 15 years of experience working to build better governments and design more effective public policies. Throughout her career, she has blended practice and theory, working in both the public sector and academia.
Kaia Ambrose, Director, Strategy, Evaluation and Learning, IDRC has over 20 years of experience as an evaluation specialist, working with different organisations around the world on their monitoring and evaluation efforts. She was one of the initial implementors and facilitators of IDRC’s Outcome Mapping approach and as such has been collaborating with the Centre since the beginning of her career. Her work in the Andes and the Caribbean combines her background in community-led resource management, food security and agroecology with her M&E work.
About the interviewer
Peter Taylor is the Director at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Previously he was Director, Strategic Development, at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada where he was responsible for leading IDRC’s strategic planning processes.
About the Between the Lines podcast
This podcast series explores ground-breaking ideas in development for positive social and environmental change. Each month we feature an interview with an expert in international development who will talk about their latest research and ideas.
Episodes content could feature authors of new books, IDS research or interviews with special guest stars.
The discussions give an insight on the themes covered, exploring the challenges and discoveries, and why the issues matter for progressive and sustainable development globally.
Send your comments and episode suggestions to [email protected]
Key contacts
