The European Engagement Initiative provides research focus on the universal development challenges that have a global dimension within a region undergoing geopolitical change. It recognises that now the UK is out of the European Union it is even more important for IDS to engage with partners, researchers, and policymakers in Europe for mutual learning, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.
The European Engagement Initiative connects a network of researchers from IDS to those within and outside of Europe all of whom are committed to sharing, learning, and working together with governments, civil society, and the private sector in Europe. The ambition is to better understand fast emerging perspectives on global, universal development challenges to ensure the inclusion of diverse voices from across the region. It will build engagement between researchers with policymakers, strengthening development thinking and practice leading to policy improvements and generation of more effective interventions.
The European Engagement Initiative includes a network of mutual partnerships with research, learning, teaching and policy work underway. Its research focus spans migration; youth unemployment; social policy, health systems and inequalities. It is part of the evolving network of IDS International Initiatives that includes Brazil, China, Ghana and Pakistan with emerging opportunities for global learning through shared experience.
Work with us
We are actively looking to nurture and expand our partnerships in Europe to joint fundraise for the following activities:
- Research and engagement collaborations, particularly on our strategic priority areas
- Co-authored publications
- Teaching and learning collaborations, including short courses, capacity building, guest lectures and webinars
- Learning events, including seminars and conferences
- Fundraising for postgraduate degree scholarships and visiting fellowships
- Sharing learning on Development Studies curriculum development
- Supporting use of evidence in policy.
If you are interested in working with us, please contact Rachel Dixon.
Partnership examples in Europe
IDS has a network of over 180 partners in Europe, with hotspots in the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany and Belgium. IDS is a founding member of European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) and contributes significantly to the IPES-Food and POLLEN networks.
IDS holds Memoranda of Understanding with the International Institute of Social Sciences, XImpulse, Basel Institute on overnance, Fondation Hirondelle and Chr Michelen Institute. We also have enduring and multifaceted partnerships with the University of Wageningen, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, CIRAD, NORAGRIC, SDC, and many others.
IDS seeks to shape the UK’s future approaches to international research partnerships, promoting the value of maintaining our existing European collaborations in helping to transform the knowledge needed for development globally. For example, through our work on how to improve wellbeing for urban refugees and their hosts.
We have over 270 alumni from Europe, and have hosted 40 European visiting fellows in the past 10 years, including from the University of Helsinki, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the University of Oslo.
