• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • News
    • News analysis: DfID

    A closer look at DfID’s open access to research policy

    The U.K. Department for International Development is among the latest aid groups to open up more of its research to the public. A Devex news analysis.

    By Ivy Mungcal // 15 August 2012

    The U.K. Department for International Development is among the latest aid groups to open up more of its research to the public.

    The department introduced an open data policy last month, as Devex reported. It takes effect Nov. 1 and will cover all new research programs that DfID will fund in full from the said date. Outputs expected to be available online under the policy include reports, journal articles, books and book chapters, audio and video files, images, data sets, websites and computer software.

    The policy is a formalization of DfID’s push to make the research studies it funds more accessible to those who could benefit from it most. These include nongovernmental organizations, government officials and practitioners who don’t typically have access to expansive libraries the way most academics or research institutions do.

    DfID has steadily increased its research budget over the years. It allocated 221 million British pounds ($346.5 million) for research in 2011-2012, up from 203 million pounds for 2010-11 and 177 million pounds for 2009-10. In 2008-09, the department spent 12 million pounds on research.

    Some 28 percent of the research budget is set aside as core funding for research institutions such as the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research, while 18 percent is invested in product development partnership like the Medicines for Malaria Venture and the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines. Other channels of DfID research spending include funding for research consortia, direct funding to specific organizations, research councils and collaborations with other U.K. government agencies and fellow donors.

    As for sectors, DfID typically funds studies on human development (roughly 33 percent), agriculture (29 percent), global statistics (10 percent), climate and environment (8 percent), governance, conflict and social development (6 percent), and growth (3 percent). DfID’s research portfolio also covers impact evaluations, research uptake, systematic reviews, policy research and evaluation.

    Within these sectors, studies funded by DfID often focus on an extensive variety of issues. For instance, the agency funded a study that uncovered the main causes of absenteeism and school dropouts in Swaziland — lack of money and teenage pregnancy — which contributed to debate around the country’s education system.

    Addressing concerns

    The open access policy, Devex has learned, enjoyed overwhelming support within DfID — but the department does recognize concerns around plagiarism, intellectual property violations and the prospect of some of the work being criticized by the public. The agency has promised to protect intellectual property rights and design outputs in a way that would require minimal data download.

    All DfID partners who will be covered by the policy will have to complete a plan outlining opportunities to maximize the use of their research outputs and any associated cost. The plan will be part of requirements DfID will ask for and asses during the tender process for research grants. Similar plans may also be required even when funding is not provided through a competitive process. A template of the plan is provided with the policy implementation guide.

    DfID’s new policy broadly aligns with open access policies recently introduced by the Wellcome Trust and Research Councils U.K., both of whom fund some development research. The agency’s business, innovation and skills department has been taking the lead for DfID.

    Read more development aid news online, and subscribe to The Development Newswire to receive top international development headlines from the world’s leading donors, news sources and opinion leaders — emailed to you FREE every business day.

    • Agriculture & Rural Development
    • Environment & Natural Resources
    • Funding
    • Democracy, Human Rights & Governance
    • Research
    • Social/Inclusive Development
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

    About the author

    • Ivy Mungcal

      Ivy Mungcal

      As former senior staff writer, Ivy Mungcal contributed to several Devex publications. Her focus is on breaking news, and in particular on global aid reform and trends in the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Before joining Devex in 2009, Ivy produced specialized content for U.S. and U.K.-based business websites.

    Search for articles

    Related Stories

    Devex Money MattersMoney Matters: How Open Society Foundations funds in the global south

    Money Matters: How Open Society Foundations funds in the global south

    Devex Money MattersMoney Matters: Predicting the future of US aid spending

    Money Matters: Predicting the future of US aid spending

    Global healthCuts to USAID-funded research another blow to global HIV response

    Cuts to USAID-funded research another blow to global HIV response

    The Trump EffectOpinion: 7 questions US legislators should ask about the demise of USAID

    Opinion: 7 questions US legislators should ask about the demise of USAID

    Most Read

    • 1
      How low-emissions livestock are transforming dairy farming in Africa
    • 2
      Opinion: Mobile credit, savings, and insurance can drive financial health
    • 3
      Opinion: India’s bold leadership in turning the tide for TB
    • 4
      USAID's humanitarian bureau is under pressure and overstretched
    • 5
      WHO names new directors in ongoing restructure
    • News
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Talent
    • Events

    Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

    A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

    • About us
    • Membership
    • Newsletters
    • Advertising partnerships
    • Devex Talent Solutions
    • Post a job
    • Careers at Devex
    • Contact us
    © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement