AusAID Development Research Awards Scheme 2012 winners announced
15 February, 2013
Ms Le Thi Nguyet Thu and Mr Nguyen Van Sao of Can Tho Water Supply and Sewerage Company making predictions of the timing of water and sanitation development in South Can Tho, Vietnam, as part of a 2008 ADRAS award. Photo: Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney
AusAID has announced the results of the 2012 round of the AusAID Development Research Awards Scheme (ADRAS) that will see $28.7 million dedicated to research to improve the quality and effectiveness of Australian aid in developing countries.
In an application round that drew 581 submissions from 244 institutions, a standout feature has been the breadth and depth of collaboration between Australian and developing country research organisations.
Building the capacity of developing country research organisations is a core objective of the AusAID Research Strategy 2012–16, and this is reflected in the level of inclusion of researchers from low- and middle-income countries as part of research teams. Of the 45 grants that make up the 2012 ADRAS round, 33 will be conducted through Australian institutions. This amounts to contracts worth more than $20 million.
AusAID’s research investments are driven by the research needs of our country and regional programs. The successful 2012 projects will produce findings that directly relate to AusAID policy and program priorities. An example of this policy relevance will be research by the National University of Samoa on the roadblocks to women’s political participation in Samoa. This aligns with the regional focus on women’s participation outlined in the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development initiative announced last year. Likewise, the research collaboration between the Queensland University of Technology, the University of the South Pacific, and the Pacific Islands Forum on disability-inclusive education brings together regional expertise for research about AusAID’s flagship area—education—that is focused on the needs of some of the most marginalised in our communities: those living with disability.
Many successful applicants have also highlighted the importance of innovative research that can uncover solutions to new challenges. In coastal West Africa, where piracy and maritime crime is jeopardising results, research by the University of Wollongong will investigate the drivers of this crime, and the causes of related conflict in the region.
The research proposals, which have undergone a thorough review and selection process, will contribute to the knowledge and evidence base that underpins AusAID’s policy and programing. Since 2007, the ADRAS competitive grants have supported 79 primary research projects and 17 systematic reviews of development research.
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Last Reviewed: 15 February, 2013