Photo: Patrick Tomasso / Unsplash
On 16 October 2024, the Swedish Research Council published its awaited report entitled “Development Research at the Swedish Research Council 2013–2023”.
The report outlines the Council’s efforts to support high-quality research targeted at reducing poverty and advancing sustainable development, particularly in low-income countries. From 2013 to 2023, the Swedish Research Council, funded by the development aid budget, issued grants to projects across various disciplines, emphasizing interdisciplinary work and global collaboration. The research also addressed all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with key focuses on health, poverty reduction, and gender equality.
Over the years, the Council allocated between 165 and 185 million Swedish kronor annually to fund Swedish development research. Three-quarters of this funding was dedicated to undirected project grants, allowing researchers to identify their own study questions within the development framework. To ensure relevance, all research proposals were assessed not only for scientific quality but also for their potential impact on poverty reduction and sustainable development. In 2023, however, the government ceased funding for new projects.
Significant achievements by the research funded 2013-2023 include the development of resilient crops, the improvement of mobile healthcare for stroke recovery, and safe abortion methods. Additionally, the Council made strides in promoting career opportunities in development research, supporting early-career researchers through postdoc and starting grants, as well as establishing graduate schools in sustainable development and interdisciplinary methodologies.
Collaboration with researchers and stakeholders in relevant countries is essential for development research. Swedish researchers awarded project grants frequently partnered with colleagues in low-income and lower-middle-income nations. The Swedish Research Links network grant was crucial in facilitating these collaborations. This international focus has not only enriched Swedish development research but also enhanced the global standing of Swedish higher education institutions and researchers.
The report concludes that the loss of targeted funding poses a significant challenge for establishing and sustaining networks and collaborations with researchers in partner countries. The Committee’s efforts to foster collaboration have been essential in enhancing both the quality and relevance of research.
The report was also presented at the DevRes conference in Lund, on 21 October 2024.
