Research partnership for Development: Migration of Science?

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Research partnership for DevelopmentMigration
of Science?

• Birgit Habermann, KEF Coordinator

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Science and the poor

• It is not surprising that the rich get richer
  in a continueing cycle of growth while the
  poorest are often left behind. A special effort
  should be made by the powerhouses of world
  science to address the unmet challenges of the
  poor.
• Jeffrey D. Sachs, The End of Poverty

ROLE OF RESEARCH
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The global scientific divide

• DCs represent 78 of population but only 28 of
  researchers worldwide

ROLE OF RESEARCH
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Commission for Development Studies

• Founded in 1981 as a follow up to UNCSTD (United
  Nations Conference on Science and Technology for
  Development)
• Head of Commission Prof. Gerhard Glatzel
• Coordinator Birgit Habermann

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Commission for Development Studies

• Multi- and interdisciplinary platform
• Hosted by Austrian Academy of Sciences, funded by
  BMWF
• 30 members

Donors/ Ministries (5)
Scientific members (10)
DC international cooperation (10)
Other members (5)
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Our aims

• to unite scientific questions with
  development-political objectives
• to embed the development-political approach into
  science and research

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What do we do ?

• KEF provides funding for research partnerships
• 63 KEF projects in 29 countries, 2 multinational
  projects
• 13 projects in implementation phase
• Annually 6-7 new projects
• Budget ca 25 000 Euro/18 months

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KEF research partnerships
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KEF research partnerships
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KEF research partnerships Prerequisites for
funding

• Eligibility Austrian scientists and their
  scientific partners in developing countries
• Significant proportion of funds remains with
  partner country
• Institutional integration (capacity building)

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What do we do ?
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KEF Publication

• Joint Research, Joint Learning Research
  partnerships in development cooperation.

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Is there a need for scientific partnership?

• Global research questions, e.g. climate change,
  international treaties, pandemic diseases,
  security,
• Global competition takes place in research as
  well what role for Austria in the future?
• Changes in Aid Architectcure (General budget
  support), modalities of cooperation and
  accessibility of knowledge, global awareness,

Commission for Development Studies at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences http//www.oeaw.ac.at
/kef
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Impeding factors for partnership cooperation

• Structural issues, limited career options for
  scientists
• Lack of networking among Austrian institutions in
  development research
• Capacities in Austria often inadequately trained
  to meet the high and diverse requirements lack
  of training and capacity development,

Commission for Development Studies at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences http//www.oeaw.ac.at
/kef
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Impeding factors for partnership cooperation

• Lack of policy coherence
• Demand for experts / expertise in development
  cooperation a lot remains still unclear !
• No tradition in Development Studies, Development
  Policy Research, - individual initiatives
  struggle with structure and limitations

Commission for Development Studies at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences http//www.oeaw.ac.at
/kef
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Impeding factors for partnership cooperation

• Resources
• Lack of an adequately equipped funding programme
  (ca 140 000 Euro/year KEF funding, Austriaca 400
  000 Euro/year )
• Sweden 54 Mill. Euro (2005)

Commission for Development Studies at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences http//www.oeaw.ac.at
/kef
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Summary

• Is it the powerhouses of world science we need?
• What kind of partnership can we offer, are we
  willing to offer?
• Power participation what does it mean?
• Are we ready to stop dividing, categorising,
  classifying the world and accept a new global
  concept understanding of science?

Commission for Development Studies at the
Austrian Academy of Sciences http//www.oeaw.ac.at
/kef
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Contact

• Birgit Habermann
• Commission for Development Studies at the
• Academy of Sciences (KEF)
• Dr. Ignaz Seipel Platz 2 1010 WIEN
• AUSTRIA
• Telefon[phone]
• Email Birgit.Habermann_at_oeaw.ac.at
• Web http//www.oeaw.ac.at/kef