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Striking a balance between academic work and policy advice

Striking a balance between academic work and policy advice. Robrecht Renard IOB University of Antwerp. 1. Introduction. Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB) University of Antwerp Social sciences focus

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Striking a balance between academic work and policy advice

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  1. Striking a balance between academic work and policy advice Robrecht Renard IOB University of Antwerp

  2. 1. Introduction • Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB) University of Antwerp • Social sciences focus • ± 25 academic staff on core funding (€2 mio/yr) plus academic research contracts • Policy advice at present less than 5 staff FTE • but considerable potential for growth • IOB receives core funding from the Ministry of Education • only institute in Flanders to receive such funding • IOB competes for academic research grants • staff promotion is handled by the univeristy Robrecht Renard

  3. IOB core activities • Teaching • 3 international Master programmes (12 months) in English for young professionals • short-term international training programmes for mid-career professionals • limited PhD programme • Research • traditional academic research • Policy work • action-research with southern academic and research partners • policy advice to donors through externally funded contracts Robrecht Renard

  4. Some characteristics of policy advice at IOB • We actively discourage our staff to do consulting as a side job • IOB consulting considered in promotions • we offer financial and administrative incentives for consulting work to be channelled through IOB • Most policy advice is concentrated in one thematic research groups (Aid Policy) • Four-year pilot in policy advice through inter-university council awarded to IOB Robrecht Renard

  5. ‘BOS’ Policy advice pilot • Client: Federal Development Cooperation • Through Flemish inter-university council • After failure of one-year policy advisory projects • 4-year funding • € 150,000 a year plus travel budget • 80% academic research • 20% drawing rights (55 days/year) • Positive evaluation, to be continued Robrecht Renard

  6. Questions • Should we become more involved in policy advice • How to integrate policy advice with other academic tasks • Broader EADI issues Robrecht Renard

  7. 2. Is there a niche for academic consulting? • Against • less field experience than specialised consultancy firms • lack of flexibility in contracting • mission creep / overreach ? • In favour • field experience for academic staff • source of funding • source of information on donor agencies • allows an institute to be more knowledgeable in policy debate in its own country Robrecht Renard

  8. Is ‘arms-length’ relationship preferable? • By staff moving between aid agencies and universities • Supposes space for independent research within aid agencies • Exchange programmes • By leaving policy advice to specialised institutes • ODI, ECDPM, … • But very country specific • in smaller countries direct involvement of development institutes may make special sense Robrecht Renard

  9. 3. How to integrate with other tasks • Closely integrate with teaching and research • at IOB research-driven thematic groups are responsible for clusters of teaching (MA, PhD, short-term) and policy work (action-research or policy advice) • Staff incentives (not resolved) • UA tenured staff track based on 40-40-20 rule (teaching, research, service delivery) • some at IOB would like 30-30-30-10 rule (teaching, research, policy work, service delivery) • accords with mission statement of IOB • facilitated by special core funding of IOB • indicators for quality of policy work? Robrecht Renard

  10. 4. Broader EADI issues • How much of IOB experience is relevant for other EADI institutes, especially in other countries? • What lessons can we learn from other EADI institutes • Collaboration with other institutes Robrecht Renard

  11. Thank you www.ua.ac.be/dev www.ua.ac.be/bos

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