The world’s poorest and most vulnerable face a mounting inventory of debt, food
and energy insecurity, health and humanitarian crises, extreme weather and ecosystem collapse. To combat these existential threats, global society must recognise the value of investing in high-quality development research capable of generating evidence of what works to benefit the world’s poorest people.
The UK has significant scientific, research and innovation capabilities that can, and do, help deliver an ambitious international development agenda within complex geopolitical and financial constraints. To ensure that UK spending delivers the greatest impact for global development, we must make use of new technologies that are grounded in science and clear evidence.
Drawing on evidence from UKCDR’s Case Studies Hub, this paper demonstrates the impact UK-funded international development research has around the world. Showing the difference the UK is already making, it also shows why sustained research investment is vital. It particularly emphasises how science, new technologies, and ‘what works’ evidence have driven major advances in recent years and demonstrates that science is UK partnership in action; that is, how UK-funded research brings together diverse actors from around the world in pursuit of global goods. Finally, the paper seeks to show how investment in tackling today’s grand challenges results in shared benefits, including for those living in the UK.