FCDO Geographical Focus ESRC Policy Fellowship
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Environment, Education and Development
Abstract
Each fellowship will last up to 18 months to cover a three-month inception phase for set up activity, followed by a 6-12-month placement with the host organisation, and concluding with an impact phase lasting up to three months.
Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within the host organisation, including line management support.
Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within the host organisation, including line management support.
Related Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Award Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/W008998/1 | 01/02/2022 | 10/09/2022 | £114,974 | ||
| ES/W008998/2 | Transfer | ES/W008998/1 | 11/09/2022 | 29/04/2024 | £82,690 |
| Description | The fellowship's goal was to provide relevant expert analysis to policy teams in the FCDO and across Whitehall. This involved writing three commissioned long-form Research Papers, providing oral briefings and responding to specific, time-sensitive requests for short analysis. Alongside colleagues from the SAARG team, the PI, Barnaby Dye, developed and delivered a practitioner series on Indian foreign policy. Barnaby used the fellowship to share his research across the FCDO network and to conduct teach-ins on a variety of foreign policy and development topics related to his research. |
| Exploitation Route | N/A |
| Sectors | Government Democracy and Justice Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | Overarching narrative There is limited research on India's international development cooperation and much of it remains high level, with a lack of detail case studies or in-depth policy analysis. This contrasts with the volume of loans, grants and development programs India offers, that have markedly increased since the early 2000s. India is now in the top echelons of development donors. It also contrasts with greater research on China, and even smaller donors such as Brazil. Equally, India-Africa relations remain understudied compared to the level of ties and India consistent interest and diplomatic effort. I have spent 10 years researching and publishing on both these themes with policy papers, public blogs/articles and peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. I have carried out empirical fieldwork in Delhi and countries in Africa. The fellowship supported greater knowledge exchange activities namely: - Briefing senior and desk officer officials directly on the research - Sharing my publications widely - Providing comments and feedback to documents on request - Building a wide contact network within government - Presenting at internal meetings - Holding informal conversations to understand policy priorities This knowledge exchange led to 3 areas of policy impact. 1) My research changed the FCDO's official knowledge base. Most centrally, it underpinned civil service learning courses with written materials and recorded lectures that are used for new starters and those seeking to deepen their subject expertise. My work also informed (and is quoted in) three classified research papers commissioned by senior diplomats, which become a key knowledge foundation for the FCDO. To spread awareness of these resources, answer further questions and provide further advice, I held informal discussions and formal briefings with senior and desk officer diplomats in Whitehall and in Delhi in the FCDO and other civil servant officials across Whitehall, including in the Cabinet Office. 2) My research and knowledge exchange, changed a number of policies, diplomatic work, briefings to ministers, and UK discussion positions at international diplomatic meetings. However, details of this are classified at this stage. 3) My research also influenced the Global Innovation Partnership (GIP), launched in 2022. It pursues development cooperation with India where the UK and India work to deliver development trilaterally, in third countries. Again details here are classified at this stage. Broadly, my research informed the internal evidence case and justification, priority areas to focus policy effort and the best way to frame the policy, especially in discussions with India. My research also informed risk mitigation. A second strand of impact has yet to take effect focus on the UK's engagement internationally with hydropower. This work builds on my extensive research on dams, and the politics and policymaking around the infrastructure, to A) Build the FCDO's knowledge base on hydropower, key policy trajectories and innovations in the field B) Recommendations on an ideal policymaking process. Work on this theme is ongoing Achieving impact is complicated, requiring multiple approaches to policy makers, degrees of luck and opportunity and is subject to ministerial priorities, which take priority in the democratic politics. Overall, the fellowship enabled my research to be embedded in the FCDO in a number of ways, filling the evidence gap on India-Africa relations and India as a development actor to inform diplomatic work, policy development and ensure more informed decision making. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Circulation and presentation of resaerch |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Contribution to internal apprasails of digitial public infrastructure |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | FCDO impact |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Influence on integrating grids internationally |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Knowledge base of Inida |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | My research was cited in three Research papers which are commissioned by senior diplomats on areas of topical policy work. They act to a) inform ongoing policymaking, including the development of specific policies, risks, barriers, opportunities and best practice. b) challenge officials and the prevailing assumptions where relevant b) inform diplomatic dicusssions and UK psoitions on international matters c) decisions on where to invest UK policymaking resources d) the FCDO's knowledge base and records. Further details are classified |
| Description | DGAP Global Innovation Fellowships |
| Amount | £14,999,341 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | GIF22\100010 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2025 |
| End | 02/2027 |
| Description | Collaboration for impact with the FCDO (FCO/DfID |
| Organisation | Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | This collaboration is focused on building impact, using my research to infrom the UK's diploamcy and international development policy. It has involved collaboration with the Research Analyst Cadre in the FCDO and with the Energy and infrastructure experts in DfID- now the FCDO Collaboration has involved informal conversations, attendance of roundtable advisory sessions and providing specific briefings. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They have enabled me to build a contact network, held meetings, arranged briefings and funded trips to India and Washington DC. It has also supported fieldwork trips to South Africa. I have also gained insights into contemporary policymaking and diplomacy |
| Impact | Ongoing Impact case study |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | InSAAN: India and South Asia Policy Advisors |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have become a member of this policy network, and helped support, a new collaborative group - InSAAN: India and South Asia Policy Advisors. This involves contributing to their events as a speaker, advising and supporting future activity from the network. In time, this network should support my impact work and policy engagement. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Other academics founded this organisation and have organised its events. They also funded its website |
| Impact | - Policy conference between members and policy officials and research analysts from the UK's Foriegn Commenwealth and Development Office |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | InSAAN: India and South Asia Policy Advisors |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have become a member of this policy network, and helped support, a new collaborative group - InSAAN: India and South Asia Policy Advisors. This involves contributing to their events as a speaker, advising and supporting future activity from the network. In time, this network should support my impact work and policy engagement. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Other academics founded this organisation and have organised its events. They also funded its website |
| Impact | - Policy conference between members and policy officials and research analysts from the UK's Foriegn Commenwealth and Development Office |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Adani's problems in Kenya undermine Narendra Modi's ambitions for Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I am quoted in an article in The Economist as an expert on India-Africa relations and helped inform its content, argument and structure |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/12/05/adanis-problems-in-kenya-undermine-naren... |
| Description | Africa-India Ties: The Continent's Next Big Relationship or Over-Hyped? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I wrote an article for The Diplomat, a popular foreign policy magazine. I shared this with my policy network and colleagues who reported interest and a change /modification of views on India-Africa. It also let to a followup interview with Australia's ABC radio station |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://thediplomat.com/2024/11/africa-india-ties-the-continents-next-big-relationship-or-over-hyped... |
| Description | Africa-India ties: underdone or overhyped? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed by the Australia Broadcast Corporation's National Radio for the Sunday Extra show. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/sundayextra/africa-asia-ties/104640458 |
| Description | Contributions to World We Got This |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I have made contributions on a range of subjects to our in-house King's College, London- School of Global Affairs podcast, from the politics of dams, to India's foreign policy and south-south relations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |