2024 was the year GlobalDev’s research communications training went truly global, and we focussed our attention on climate resilience, conflict and the role of research funding in fostering a fairer world.
As we bid farewell to another successful year at GlobalDev, the team looks forward to an exciting 2025!
This past year, GlobalDev not only cemented its position as a renowned blog dedicated to making high-quality research accessible to its readers, but we also evolved into a hub for expanding researchers’ communications capacity with our new training modules.
Supporting researchers’ public and policy engagement
In 2024, we successfully delivered communications modules to over 100 researchers from across the globe, equipping them with the tools and confidence to communicate their work effectively with non-academic audiences, including policymakers.
In 2025, we will launch a Certificate in Research Communication, marking a significant milestone for the GlobalDev community.
We look forward to welcoming researchers on to our upcoming modules. These cover exciting topics, including storytelling, public speaking, creating research infographics, and using social media and AI tools to disseminate findings effectively.
Successful training events in 2024 included:
- Impactful workshops in Senegal during the Foire aux savoirs des think tanks du Sahel (Knowledge Fair of Sahel Think Tanks) in May.
- Communication modules for PhD students from Francophone Africa in Rabat, Morocco, delivered with our key partner, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), during the “Université d’été de la Francophonie,” organized by the AUF at Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique in October.
- Five dynamic training modules with 70 participants at this year’s GDN Conference: Global Synergies: Climate Resilience Strategies for a Sustainable Tomorrow, held in Fiji in November.
Research that matters for development that works
Meanwhile, we remained true to our core mission: showcasing the value of research to resolving critical development challenges.
Our blog provides a platform for researchers to discuss evidence that deepens readers’ understanding of these urgent issues.
A highlight of this year was the GlobalDev Writing Contest, centered on the GDN Conference’s theme of climate resilience. The winning entry, by Maryam Dogar (National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan), explored The Paradox of Climate Resilience: The Ties Between Heatwave Strategies and Social Inequities. The judges all agreed that Maryam’s post was engaging and accessible to a wide audience, and that she expertly discussed evidence from a breadth of sources.
Further exceptional contributions included that by Anne Cortez from the Asian Development Bank. Anne highlighted the threat of climate change to a group of islands in the Philippines, where rapidly rising sea levels threaten to submerge entire coastal communities.
Elsewhere, Economic Policy Research Centre authors Florence Nakazi and Aida K. Nattabi shed light on how Ugandan coffee farmers are tackling climate change and the critical role of girls’ education in enhancing climate resilience in Uganda.
Another major focus this year was Conflict and Development. We partnered with the Oxford Forum for International Development 2024 to launch a special series exploring contemporary conflict dynamics, post-conflict reconstruction mechanisms, and the role of politics, diplomacy, and humanitarian efforts in fostering resilience and rebuilding communities.
Ghida Ismail from UNDP challenged development indicators, such as GDP, which suggest that Palestine was on the right trajectory before the current war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Ian Thomas, Director of Research and Artistic Information at the British Council, shared insights on how art and culture help communities recover and reconnect after conflict.
A special series on Research Funding, in collaboration with the UK Collaborative on Development Researchinvited researchers and funders to reflect on the impact of research funding approaches. Zenebe Mekonnen (Ethiopian Forestry Development & African Centre for Technology Studies) discussed how funders can decolonize their work for more equitable research partnerships and effective development policies in his insightful blog.
Gender equality remained a prominent theme this year. Articles included: Fostering gender-equitable economies through development financing in Africa. Other crucial topics were circular economies, health, biodiversity, and agriculture. You can explore all our articles here.
This year was filled with new challenges, inspiring articles, and impactful initiatives. As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to our mission of sharing research that matters and development that works. Stay tuned for the launch of our GlobalDev Research Communication Certificate!
