Assuming more responsibilities for the Danida grant for development research
28-02-25
In 2024, Danida Fellowship Centre entered into a new agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to manage the full grant allocated by the ministry for development research through the annual call for development research proposals. In 2024, the full grant was 220 million DKK and included funding for 20 new research projects.
Much has changed since 2008, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outsourced the administration of the application rounds and research grants to Danida Fellowship Centre and transferred one programme manager and 19 boxes of files to Danida Fellowship Centre.
Over the past 16 years, the research management team at Danida Fellowship Centre has grown and adeptly navigated shifting political priorities and evolving research support modalities. Key initiatives include South-driven research (2008–2020), the Building Stronger Universities programme (2011–present), and research linked to the Strategic Sector Cooperation (Window 2, 2017–present). Since 2020, Danida Fellowship Centre has also placed increased emphasis on bringing research knowledge into action through its science engagement initiative. See HERE.
It was therefore a notable achievement for Danida Fellowship Centre to assume responsibility for the full grant for development research projects in 2024. The responsibility includes the management of the support to the research projects selected during the annual application rounds. The projects are implemented in research partnerships between Danish researchers and researchers in selected countries with Danish development cooperation agreements.
While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ensures that grants to development research align with the overall strategic priorities of Denmark’s development cooperation, the more specific strategic considerations regarding the grant are a joint responsibility. The framework for support to development research is outlined in a strategic guidance note for Danish support to development research, published in March 2024. See HERE.
The new agreement also introduces several administrative changes that affects both Danida Fellowship Centre and the research grant recipients. Among these changes is a new requirement that all research institutions receiving Danida-funded research grants must have their own anti-corruption and PSEAH (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment) policies, with which all project partners must comply. Additionally, Danida Fellowship Centre is strengthening its monitoring of research project implementation through more visits to Danida-funded research projects.
More about
Development research calls and funding opportunities
The consultative research committee, FFU
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