What is research engagement and why does it matter

Published May 20, 2026

Why focusing on research engagement

Most researchers hope to see their work put to use, yet the pathway from evidence to change is rarely straightforward. This newsletter highlights how shifts in engagement can deepen stakeholder ownership and ensure research findings have an impact where they are needed most.

Engagement for impact - small shifts for bigger results

Part of the support that Danida Fellowship Centre provides to Danida-funded research projects is our mandatory “Research Engagement, Influencing and Impact” training, facilitated by research communications consultant Rowena Harding. In this article, she explores why "engaging for impact" is not about doing more work, but is about identifying the specific value propositions that motivate stakeholders. She mentions four crucial areas of impact: mutual learning, raising awareness, connectivity and policy change.

Mutual learning – co-creation in global health

Co-creation in global health helps ensure that health interventions are better tailored to people’s needs and circumstances. A central example of this practice is the work of international experts from the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Aga Khan University in Tanzania (AKU), and a 24-member global panel of users and creatives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, who have launched an open-access starter kit designed to guide researchers and practitioners in applying co-creation in global health, specifically in low-resource settings. The toolkit was developed in the context of the two Danida-funded projects “Co-creating reproductive and newborn health“ (PartoMa) and "Mosquito-Borne Diseases Free project” (MBD-Free).

Raising awareness - researchers and the media work together for the climate

Researchers from the Danida-funded project “Building the resilience of Lake Bosumtwi to climate change (RELAB)” called on policymakers to declare a state of emergency to protect the lake, gaining national media coverage in Ghana. This illustrates how stronger collaboration between researchers and the media can help communicate climate issues to the public. Back in 2022, the project’s lead researcher, Peter Sanful, together with Michael Adu, Yaw Agyeman Boafo, and Francis Atube, highlighted this during our “Bridging the Gap. Research for the public” seminar connecting researchers and journalists.

Connectivity - bridging healthcare gaps

In rural Burkina Faso, local doctors and nurses are working under severe shortages of essential medicines, equipment, and staff. A recent study by Burkinabe and Danish researchers highlights how frontline health workers are finding practical ways to keep services running, and how they often go beyond their formal duties to support their patients. The findings have been shared with Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Health, helping connect research evidence with decision-makers.

Changing policies - counter piracy beyond the sea

Findings from the Danida-funded research project “(Counter)-piracy infrastructures in the Gulf of Guinea (COPIGoG)” informed new security approaches in the Gulf of Guinea. While piracy incidents are at historically low levels, the research shows that criminal networks have shifted their activities both on land and at sea, with the risk of resurgence. These insights have contributed to a shift in approach by the Danish Maritime Security Programme III and its regional partners, now addressing maritime security in a broader, more integrated way.

LinkedIn updates from our learning community

Curious about the learning programmes we offer partners in Danish programmes in the Global South? Explore the freshest insights straight from the voices of our participants and partners.

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