The Swiss Alliance for Global Research Partnerships (GRP-Alliance), former KFPE

Academic research often addresses very specific issues and may lack a thorough needs assessment, limiting its potential for tangible societal impact. Isolated or one-sided approaches can even undermine development outcomes. Moreover, development policies and strategies require a solid evidence base to effectively inform the science - policy interface and to prevent unintended negative spillover effects.

The GRP-Alliance is the only network of academic institutions in Switzerland and universities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that addresses such challenges through global research approaches. It aligns with the Swiss Foreign Policy Strategy (i.e. its objective on science diplomacy), the objectives of the current IC Strategy and the ERI Policy, and offers a platform for innovative approaches to emerge, and the scaling of such initiatives. By promoting the creation of scientific evidence that is applicable in international cooperation it also serves the implementation of SDCs research concept 2025-28 and its TRANSFORM program and fosters significant development impact through research.

SDC promotes a threefold approach to research for development: (a) operational programs and projects, (b) policy dialogue related to research in development and (c) community building. The GRP-Alliance mainly aligns with the latter. As such it promotes Swiss academic excellence while supporting locally led development.

A platform as offered by the GRP-Alliance is more important than ever before, as the pressure on international cooperation and education, research and innovation budgets is steadily increasing and consequently research for development (“Ressortforschung”) is under high pressure. While the funding base of the GRP-Alliance is being diversified during the current contract period, SDC is – over the medium term – planning for an exit strategy.

- Swiss researchers and researchers from LMICs

- Political stakeholders from around the world

- Development practitioners like civil society representatives and partners from the private sector

The GRP-Alliance creates an environment that generates scientific evidence for international cooperation and strengthens Swiss research by fostering equitable collaborations with researchers from LMICs.

Strengthened by its close link with the Swiss Academy of Sciences, the GRP-Alliance aims to raise awareness (sensitize) at the interface between science and society about sustainable development issues, to connect sustainable science with politics and diplomacy, and strengthen the role of international cooperation for greater policy coherence for sustainable development.

Gender and governance are integrated across its activities.

Resultados previstos:  

- The standards for equitable research collaborations are revised and new benchmarks for fair, impactful and inclusive research partnerships are set.

- Transformative global research initiatives support pioneering partnership projects like for example exploring the ethical and societal implications of AI.

- Science is positioned as a driver of global dialogue by shaping international policy discourse that fosters research and knowledge exchange as trust building tools.

- Enlarging a vibrant global research ecosystem that builds on the GRP-Alliances’ well-established network and nurtures strategic connections among Swiss and global research funders, academic institutions, practitioners, and policymakers.

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

- By organizing conferences, dialogues and bilateral exchanges, the GRP-Alliance contributed to avoid overlaps and to streamline the discussions in the field of research for development. This enhances the quality, relevance, and global scope of research efforts.

- The promotion of transdisciplinary dialogue among diverse stakeholders - academia, government, civil society, and business - in events has promoted inclusive knowledge exchange and mutual understanding. This enables more context-sensitive, impactful, and actionable research outcomes.

- The GRP-Alliance is the exclusive actor in Switzerland that promotes Swiss academic excellence in collaboration with actors from LMICs, based on principles of fair and effective international research collaboration. Through thematic workshops and backed by the KFPE Guide it has supported evidence creation, capacity strengthening and impact-oriented project implementation between Swiss institutions and partners in LMICs, and it contributed to evidence-based policy discussions.

- Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT)

- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

- swissuniversities

- SDC TRANSFORM partners