UK Collaborative on Development Sciences

The UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS) is a collaboration of 13 UK research funders and government stakeholders with an interest in international development research. UKCDS aims to encourage and facilitate working relationships for effective research for development. The UKCDS objectives are to:

• Improve stakeholder collaboration in development sciences
• Encourage research policies and practices of UK funders to reflect good practice in development
• Support the UK to be a global leader in development sciences and their application.

History

UKCDS was announced in December 2006 by the UK Secretary of State for International Development. It was proposed by the Development Sciences Working Group (DSWG), which was set up to respond to recommendations in a report on the role of science and technology in international development policy by the House of Common's Science and Technology Select Committee.

Structure

UKCDS comprises a High-Level Board, an Officials Group and Secretariat:

• Steering Board - The Steering Board provides strategic direction for UKCDS activities and oversees the work of the officials and the secretariat. It comprises Chief Scientists or Executives of each member organisation and is chaired by Scotland's Chief Scientist, Professor Anne Glover.

• Officials - Implementing UKCDS strategies and activities are UKCDS officials from each member organisation, who meet regularly to share information and initiate IDeaS and opportunities.

• Secretariat - Both the Board and officials are supported by a five-person secretariat led by Dr Andr_e Carter. The secretariat is located in the Wellcome Trust building in Central London.

• Working groups - Working groups are established when needed to address specific topics and themes. These groups comprise of representatives from member organisations, other development stakeholders and academia.

Members

UKCDS members come together in ad hoc working groups to identify future research needs and priorities share good practise and find better ways to add value to each other’s activities. These working groups address topics such as natural disasters, climate change and capacity strengthening. Funding for development sciences is delivered through members, not the UKCDS Secretariat.

Current UKCDS members include:

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
• Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
• Department for Energy and Climate Change
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Department for International Development
• Department of Health
• Economic and Social Research Council
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Medical Research Council
• Natural Environment Research Council
• Scottish Government
• Wellcome Trust

The UKCDS Secretariat is also the National Contact Point for the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) in International Cooperation (INCO).