Country-led, responsive and partnership-oriented research and knowledge exchange : The GPE KIX approach to evidence-based policy and planning

• In Event: Roundtable Session 10
  In Refereed Roundtable Session: Mobilizing demand driven evidence in LMICs to improve policy and policy implementation in a digital society: learning across major global initiatives

Proposal

GPE Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), a joint endeavour with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), supports research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building of government and non-government policy stakeholders that respond to national priorities and need since it began in 2019. GPE KIX’s guiding principles are being country-led, responsive, adaptive, and partnership oriented. GPE KIX emphasizes that knowledge production and use should be led by governments and institutions based in the Global South working closely together as those at the center of policy dialogue and decision making.

With over 40 research projects already completed, this presentation will highlight key lessons in co-creating research and strengthening the use of evidence in national education policy and practice, giving concrete examples of research projects and uptake related to Edtech, and data management. In 2023, following the announcement of the GPE KIX extension through to 2027, KIX commissioned independent scoping studies to identify key knowledge gaps and research needs, including on data system and data use. This presentation will provide an overview of the methodology used to inform new KIX-supported research and knowledge exchange activities in GPE partner countries, involving from the start governments and institutions from the South.

In addition to demand-driven research projects, GPE KIX established four regional hubs that promote the use of research evidence in GPE partner countries. One such regional hub is the EMAP (Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia and Pacific) Hub, led by NORRAG, which implements a novel approach to enhancing the use of research evidence for policy and planning. On the one hand, it provides ample opportunities, drawing on multiple interconnected channels (webinars, newsletters, podcasts, or conferences) to create a critical mass of innovation-minded policy makers, policy advisors, policy implementers, and policy analysts in the GPE partner countries. On the other hand, it organizes learning cycles and in-depth certificate courses for surfacing, strengthening, and disseminating in-depth local policy expertise. Seven learning cycles have been offered, leading to scoping studies tailored to the situation in the GPE partner countries and developed by local experts. For all Hub activities, the thematic priorities are demand-driven as they are determined by national policy experts. The presentation will provide an overview of the GPE KIX approach and highlights lessons learned from the novel layered demand driven approach to strengthening the uptake of policy and planning.

Authors

• Tricia Wind, International Development Research Centre

• Jose Luis Canelhas, NORRAG

• Gita Steiner-Khamsi, Columbia University Teachers College & NORRAG