This document outlines plans to improve access to research knowledge from the global south. It discusses establishing partnerships with organizations in developing countries to co-produce knowledge products and services. The goals are to increase the capacity of these organizations to produce and share high-quality research, and to measurably increase access to locally relevant research knowledge. Key approaches include building on established formats to create topical publications, profiling new research, and facilitating knowledge sharing through online communities and stakeholder groups.

1. “Improved access to credible research knowledge through profiling and synthesis” MK4D Output1 Alistair Scott & Kelly Shephard June 2011

2. Output 1 desired outcome(what would we expect / like / love to see?) knowledge services increasingly being co-produced with partner organisations in developing countries. increased capacity of intermediary organisations in the global south to co-produce high quality knowledge products & services on a sustainable basis. measurablyincreased access to a diverse range of locally relevant, high quality research knowledge.

3. Output 1 – the approach Sourcing Partnerships Co-production Profiling

4. Output 1: co-producing products & services Building on established [policy briefing] formats; focussed on global perspectives Topical, event focussed highlights of new research – conference blogs, thematic email bulletins; printed / online Readers’ groups, stakeholder groups & communities of practice around key themes Of each piece of latest research Of the research into large, specialist academic papers

5. Output 1: co-producing products & services

8. Build Partnerships Building Partnerships is central to our work

9. Partnershipsfor Sourcing, Profiling & Co-production Malawi Development Exchange Community of Practice D-Net, Bangladesh Protifolon issues 4 & 5 BORN website I-K Mediary host Bangladesh Eldis Community group ALIN, Kenya Joto Afrika Joto Afrika stakeholder group

10. Partnershipsfor Sourcing, Profiling & Co-production Cutting Edge Programme on Climate Change Write-shops in Colombia & India CoP in place Cutting Edge Programme on Social Movements Advisory Group in place CoP under development Soul City, South Africa Soul Beat Africa CoP under development

11. Malawi Development Exchange generating & sharing knowledge beyond the traditional establishment Liz Allcock Country Projects Convenor IDS Knowledge Services

13. What we do… Collect, digitise, summarise & disseminate development research produced in Malawi by Malawians Support exchange on development issues via the discussion forums Facilitate professional networking via face-to-face gatherings Develop offline access for those with poor internet access Capacity building?

14. National Library Service of Malawi

15. To create space for researchers & others interested in development in Malawi to share and learn from one another To increase the visibility of Malawian development research in-country, regionally and globally MDE: What’s the point?

16. Why Malawi? Proven need Excellent research, poor impact Nothing like it exists It’s not easy!

17. What impact are we having? Making available more locally-generated development research Stimulating demand for development research and information Enabling debate and contributing to cultural change by challenging norms Contributing to behaviour change in key stakeholder groups Using our resources for direct impact on individuals and communities…

18. What about the team?

19. Challenges… An online platform in an offline society! Adapting to the local context Communication – between IDS and the NLS and within IDS! Funding

20. What next? Mobile SMS literacy campaign Pay-for & free-of-charge services Sustainability

21. Adding Value... (unlike this)

22. Add Value Building lasting value - key to all our outputs

25. Challenges and Learning Building the repository platform took longer than anticipated: we needed to customise it for our own purposes, and to integrate it with other IDS systems Establishing multiple action partnerships (exchange & digitisation) in a relatively short space of time is challenging. We need to : Build in sufficient time and staff resources for making contact Seek out and build on any existing contacts Correspond in partners native language if possible Future priorities Repository capacity building project BLDS catalogue available on WorldCat (& other aggregated catalogue services) Mobile version of BLDS catalogue to facilitate access where internet connectivity is poor

27. Challenges and risks Deciphering MK4D Phase 2 requirements From conceptual aspiration to practical reality Co-ordination A “combinatorial explosion” Letting 100 flowers bloom… High transaction costs Resources Spreading ourselves too thin Sustainability What happens to the partnerships after March 2013?

28. What have we learned? We have one hell of a good team… Adaptable Hard-working Partnerships need constant TLC High transaction costs Unpredictable Editorial quality How to maintain common standards? Whose English is correct? Workload, workload, workload… Output 1 is very ambitious Limited resources

29. Future plans Diverse Voices Development Debates Hub Up to 8 Stakeholder Groups Outsource Eldis Resource Guides Southern Thematic Editorial Teams CSDMS, India: ICT4D Resource Guide id21 “insights” briefing series Partner-driven, online-only model Future Agricultures Consortium Network of African Partners Potential South Asian partners

30. “Improved access to credible research knowledge through profiling and synthesis” MK4D Output1 Alistair Scott & Kelly Shephard June 2011