Call for contributions: excellence and relevance in development research

4 September 2009

The Platform MDG Profs, an initiative of Dutch research and higher education associations, councils, funding organisations and Dutch ministries, in cooperation with Hivos, is looking for examples of research which are demonstrably excellent academically as well as relevant to development cooperation. The contributions selected will be published in a one-off English-language magazine which will be presented to the Dutch ministers Plasterk and Koenders. The magazine will also be distributed widely amongst researchers, research institutions, university management and policy makers. For researchers this project thus offers the opportunity to increase the visibility of their research results.

Aim and realisation of the publication
Excellent research, measured in terms of citation impact scores, awards and the like, is often contrasted with research relevant to issues in developing countries. This bifurcation is hindering the sharing of knowledge. By presenting examples of research combining excellence and relevance, the Platform and Hivos seek to demonstrate that excellent research does produce knowledge which can contribute in important ways to addressing global and development issues such as sustainable development and poverty reduction. The magazine will be written by professional science journalists, and will contain interviews with selected researchers as well as with other relevant partners from the Netherlands and from developing countries.

Submitting a contribution for the magazine
Senior researchers of all disciplines are invited to submit contributions for the magazine, the submissions require a short description of the (nearly) completed research project in terms of academic excellence and relevance to development. Applicants are not asked to submit magazine articles but project descriptions of one or two pages, clearly demonstrating the excellent quality of the research (such as publications in international peer-reviewed journals and prizes awarded) as well as its relevance to development issues (such as practical implementation of research results and use of research results in formulating development policy). It is also possible to submit projects which were not initially intended as relevant to development but which proved to be applicable to development issues.

Project descriptions must be submitted before October 10, 2009, to WOTRO, Ms. Astrid Makking, a.makking@nwo.nl, (subject heading: special edition), Tel. 070-3440907.

About the Platform MDG Profs:
The Platform MDG Profs was founded by Dutch associations of higher education and research (VSNU, NWO/WOTRO, KNAW, SAIL, PIE) in cooperation with Dutch ministries. The Platform is dedicated to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), carrying out joint activities and developing a common vision on the sharing of knowledge and the fostering of knowledge networks between North and South.