New report summarises the Swedish Research Council’s work in development research

The Swedish Research Council’s Committee for Development Research was disbanded on 31 december 2023. During its eleven years, it was a driving force behind Swedish research in this field. The experiences from the Committee’s work are now presented in a report describing the work, reflecting on successes and challenges, and indicating possible ways forward for the field.

The research covered by the umbrella term ‘development research’ shall be relevant for global challenges linked to poverty and inequality, climate and environment, innovation and growth, and also peace and security. The Swedish Research Council’s funding of this research field has also contributed to the internationalisation of Swedish research and education, which is a precondition for Sweden’s participation in international bodies and in international research.

“It is an important research field, whether it relates to health, environment, or societal issues. Development research requires a strong knowledge base, and contributes to the internationalisation of Swedish higher education institutions and to strengthening the role of Sweden and Swedish researchers internationally,” says Katarina Bjelke, Director General at the Swedish Research Council.

Multidisciplinary field

Development research is very much a multidisciplinary field, and multidisciplinary applications in development research have both been greater in number and had a higher success rate than in the Swedish Research Council’s other subject areas. This has placed demands on the review process and, over the years, the Committee has worked to ensure multidisciplinary research can compete on the same terms as intradisciplinary research in the assessment of applications.

“Assessment of applications in development research has also placed specific demands on reviewer competence. This relates, for example, to the assessment of where the research frontier lies in development research and the feasibility of the projects, but also to the assessment of research ethics aspects,” says Lisa Westholm, Coordinator at the Swedish Research Council.

A conclusion of the report is that when the targeted funding disappears, there is a risk that it will become more difficult to establish and maintain networks and collaborations with researchers in the countries involved. The work of promoting collaborations and cooperation has been an important part of the Committee’s mandate, and this has contributed to strengthening both the quality of the research and its relevance.

Attracting new talent as junior researchers and experts in development research needs to be safeguarded in the long term if Sweden is to continue being a strong voice internationally, and contribute to the research into global challenges that the world is facing, in areas such as environment, health, poverty, democracy, and security.

The report will be presented at the DevREs2024 conference, which will take place on 21–23 October in Lund.

The report Development research at the Swedish Research Council 2013–2023

Read more about the conference DevRes2024 External link.