Development Studies Association of the UK and Ireland

An Introduction to the DSA of the UK and Ireland

Frances HillDevelopment Studies Association

connecting and promoting the development research community

Development Studies Association of the UK and Ireland

Founded in 1978

Membership: 55 organisations1200 individuals

connecting and promoting the development research community

Vision and Mission

Vision: Accelerated Global Poverty Reduction

Mission: To connect and promote development research and

teaching to increase its impact

connecting and promoting the development research community

Past Presidents

1978-1980 Professor Keith Griffin, University of Oxford 1980-1982 Professor Amartya Sen, University of Oxford (Nobel Laureate) 1982-1984 Professor Emanuel de Kadt, Institute of Development Studies 1984-1986 Professor Lalage Bown, University of Glasgow 1986-1988 Tony Killick, Overseas Development Institute 1988-1990 Professor Hans Singer, Institute of Development Studies 1990-1992 Frances Stewart, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford 1992-1994 Martin Griffiths, Director, ActionAid 1994-1996 Professor John Toye, Institute of Development Studies 1996-1998 Professor John Harriss, Development Studies Institute, LSE 1998-2001 Professor Paul Mosley, University of Reading / University of Sheffield 2001-2005b Simon Maxwell, Overseas Development Institute 2005–2008 Professor Cecile Jackson, School of Development Studies, UEA 2008-2011 Professor Lawrence Haddad, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex2011-2014 Professor Geof Wood, University of Bath

connecting and promoting the development research community

Objectives

• Mobilising of Collective Capacity and Knowledge for Development

• Nurturing the Next Generation of Development Professionals

• Investing in the Infrastructure for World-Leading Development Studies

connecting and promoting the development research community

Activities – Collective Capacity

• Annual Conference• Study Groups – 27 different themes• Heads of Centres meetings• “Friends of” meetings with specific organisations• Journal of Development Studies

connecting and promoting the development research community

Activities – Nurturing Next Generation

• One year free trial membership for students• Research Student’s workshop for PhD students• Research Student bursaries for Conference• Junior academic bursaries for 3 day Conference• Prize for best paper and chance to publish• Careers advice and help with contacts• Assistance with CV writing and networking

connecting and promoting the development research community

Activities – Research Infrastructure

• Working with HEFCE to ensure development studies is evaluated in ways that respect policy impact as well as academic rigour

• Working with UKCDS in supporting Research Councils to focus more on development issues

• Working with the Quality Assurance Agency towards a benchmarking standard for development studies

connecting and promoting the development research communityconnecting and promoting the development research community

Organisation

• President, 2 Officers and Council guide the strategic direction of the DSA and provide ‘hands-on’ support to Secretariat through sub-committees

• Secretariat led by Executive Director carries out much of the activities

• Constitution which underpins our vision, objectives and activities

• Terms of reference for sub-committees

connecting and promoting the development research communityconnecting and promoting the development research community

Financing• Difficult as organisations such as this fall between

two stools – we do not ‘do’ research, we do not ‘do’ projects

• Core income comprises mainly membership fees• We have had some contract income from UK DFID for

specific activities• Most other similar associations derive an income

from their journals – the DSA does not own JID• Important to start out with diverse sources of

funding rather than relying on one ‘cash cow’ or membership fees

connecting and promoting the development research communityconnecting and promoting the development research community

Benefits of Networking

• Informs work and activities – feedback potential• Meet more people – share experiences• Not acting in isolation – important for

development• Collaboration potential – vital for research• Gives access to wider range of resources• Successful collaboration is greater than the sum

of the individual parts

Value Added of ‘DSAs’ for Networking

• Provides a forum for meeting people who can help your research and careers

• Call for collaboration and assistance with your research via collective shared resources such as website and bulletin

• Aspired International Membership will open up access for collaboration with researchers in other countries

• Secretariat to provide advice, guidance and contacts

Takeaways from some recent research

1. Differences in Timeframes/Rhythms2. Incentive structures3. Institutional buy-in/support4. The role of serendipity5. Importance of individuals and chemistry6. Hybrid nature of individuals –’Pracademics’/’Actitioners’7. Trust - Role of communication

connecting and promoting the development research community

Partnering – a schematic framework

Copyright: The Partnering Initiative

RESPECT for the added value each

party brings

RESPECT for the added value each

party brings

1. EQUITY1. EQUITY

Why do all partnerships need these 3 core principles?

2. TRANSPARENCY2. TRANSPARENCY TRUST with partners more willing

to innovate & take risks

TRUST with partners more willing

to innovate & take risks

3. MUTUTAL BENEFIT

3. MUTUTAL BENEFIT ENGAGEMENT

more likely to sustain & build relationship over time

ENGAGEMENTmore likely to sustain &

build relationship over time

Copyright: The Partnering Initiative

Hoped-for development outcome (s)

Initial partner analysis

theme

scale

Strategic & underlying interests

‘hook’

CONSIDERATIONS• What is the case for a partnership approach?• Are there alternative / better options? • Transaction costs vs benefits?• Possible obstacles and risks?• What are the broad project / activity areas?• What resources / competencies are needed?• Is there capacity for flexibility / responsiveness?• Is the organisation ready / fit for partnering?• Are there potential unintended consequences?

Decision to move forwards

For example because:

• There is a better alternative

• The risks are too high

• The benefits are insufficient

• The organisation is not ready

No go

Copyright: Michael Warner

To Partner Or Not To Partner? Issues to consider

Position = the first demand or solution presented by someone, often dogmatic and usually inconsiderate (can only ‘win’ by narrowing / conceding)

Interest = those elements that underpin the stated ‘position’ (eg drivers, priorities, hopes, needs, values, external pressures)

Progress / breakthrough comes

when you can get beneath the ‘position’

to understand and address the

underlying ‘interests’ – where you can

expand out from some area of shared interest

– this is known as interest-based

negotiation

‘Positions’ and underlying ‘interests’

Source: Acland

copyrightcopyright

What do we mean by ‘resources’ / ‘contributions’?

Knowledge

Different types

Specialist knowledge

Unknown to others

Physical Resources

Buildings

Transport

Infrastructure

Products

Medicine

Food

Computers

Networks

Sector specific

Types of contacts

Information

Ways to distribute

Technical methods

Non-technical methods

People

Expertise

Champions

Labor/volunteers

Contacts

Credibility

Spheres of influence

Other

Be imaginative

What Can Each Partner

Bring?

18Copyright: The Partnering Initiative

An example of a partnership outline planning tool

Shared objective(s)

–

–

Individual organisation

objectives:

–

–

–

–

4. Resources

Evidence of success

-

-

-

-

This planning tool can usefully be undertaken as a 'step by step' process prior to signing a partnering agreement

DSA Africa? DSA Ghana? DSA West Africa?

Consider:• Why? Purpose? (Vision, Aims & Objectives)• Landscaping – what already exists?• Development Studies/Inter-disciplinarity vs mono-

disciplinary culture?• How to take forward? Ownership, authorship &

scaling up• Federal and regional issues• Secretariat – located where? Consider logistics,

infrastructure & political sensitivities

connecting and promoting the development research community