Solution-oriented research for development programme (SOR4D)

Programme level: 

Research institutions in development aid-eligible countries and in Switzerland (any recognized or accredited Swiss higher education institution) ;
Development actors (policy and practice-oriented actors, active in societal, environmentaI or economic development of the countries in the Global South/East, being part of the public (government or civil society) or private sector.

Project level:

Poor, marginalized, vulnerable population in lower and lower-middle income countries.

1. Needs-based knowledge and innovative solutions that contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction in least developed, low and lower middle-income countries are generated jointly by researchers and development actors

2. Research results with potential for innovation are tested in context, validated and/or scaled-up

3. Competences (skills and know-how) of researchers and development actors in conducting solution-oriented transdisciplinary research in partnership on systemic and complex development challenges are enhanced

Risultati principali attesi:  

Approximately 20 new partnerships Swiss-South-Development partner;

100 researchers supported (half South/ women) 

7-10 solutions supported on their transition to scale through transformative grants.

New research projects contribute to SDC’s thematic & geographic programmes in priority countries. More specifically:

• New methods, methodologies, techniques, technologies, products, tools, or approaches developed, validated by beneficiaries, and replicated;
• National and international stakeholders influenced:
• Spin-offs created (patents, start-ups research projects);
• At least 200 scientific articles, policy papers and nonacademic pubIications, conference presentations.

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

R4D programme (predecessor of SOR4D, 2012-2024): a project “ahead of its time” that “delivered scientific excellence and impact on the ground” (evaluation), 57 projects supported (in 50 countries) and 13 scaling grants; 744 peer-reviewed articles; 760 conference participations (incl. in priority countries); 204 researchers (156 from South) graduated from r4d projects with Master or PhD, 115 follow up projects/spin offs in field of health, education, construction (LC3 cement, COCOBOARD), agroecology, waste management, gender, etc in the Global South.

SOR4D Phase 1: 15 transdisciplinary projects involving academic and non-academic development actors (incl. private sector) from inception to implementation. Lessons from phase 1 :

• knowledge management, governance and monitoring to be improved;
• more involvement of SDC field offices and promotion of evidence based Ondings;
• more focus on scaling and gender inclusion.

Coordination with other research initiatives of SDC’s TRANSFORM programme (to which SOR4D belongs).

Coordination with the initiatives of the SNSF mentioned in the Memorandum of Understanding between the SDC and the SNSF regarding the Partnership 2020-2030 renewed in 2025:

Coordination with thematic sections (Climate) and geographic sections (West Africa) which support financially the programme, and country offices.

Support scientific approach and evidence-based programming at SDC.