The Research Capacity Strengthening Group (RCSG) is an informal group, formed in 2008, that brings together UK funders and practitioners to share, learn, connect and improve practice in research capacity strengthening. It aims to improve coordination of UK activities.
What are our aims?
- Improve communications, coordination, networking, connections and shared learning between capacity strengthening initiatives in the UK.
- Use shared learning and knowledge to improve practice and effectiveness of members’ research capacity strengthening work.
What is our scope?
- Global: looking at initiatives and practices aimed at strengthening research capacity in low and middle-income countries
- Cross thematic: across all the sciences and social science e.g. health, engineering.
- On holistic research capacity strengthening:
- across research, innovation, science, technology and higher education;\
- at an individual, institutional and environmental/systems level, and
- across the spectrum of research quality, access, communications and use of research evidence.
Who are our members?
The group has over 20 member organisations, including major UK research funders such as DFID, Wellcome and MRC, and organisations that deliver capacity strengthening programmes, such as INASP, the ACU and the Royal Academies.
When do we meet?
The RCSG meets biannually.
What have we done?
- Mapping of UK and international RCS priorities (2015)
- Mapping of over 300 global health research capacity initiatives (2014)
- Research capacity strengthening learning from experience report (2011)