UKRI International Development Peer Review College
The GCRF Peer Review College in Bangkok, February 2019
The UKRI International Development Peer Review College forms part of the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) global engagement strategy for Official Development Assistance (ODA) research.
Set up in early 2018, members of the college provided expert reviews for the full proposals submitted to the ‘Interdisciplinary Research Hubs to Address Intractable Challenges Faced by Developing Countries’.
College members contribute to the peer review of calls led by one or more of the UK Research Councils from UKRI, in particular those funded under the Global Challenges Research Fund.
Aims of the college
The main aims of the college are to:
- ensure developing country perspectives are a key part of the peer review of GCRF calls and other ODA relevant research council calls
- build on the GCRF aim of fair and equitable partnerships, ensuring developing country researchers and non-academics are able to contribute to the decision making process
- facilitate closer engagement with peer reviewers from the Global South, and provide training and capacity building in (interdisciplinary) peer review
The college consists of around 300 members, who are appointed for three years. The membership includes both academics and non-academics from organisations based in or working with DAC list countries, such as policymakers, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations.
The college aims for its membership to be at least 95% from Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list countries. This means that, in order to maintain this focus, the college may not accept applications from those based in non-DAC countries.
Call for new members – November 2019
What College members do and how to get involved.
UKRI is inviting applications for new members to the College from both academics and non-academics from organisations based in or working with DAC list countries, such as policymakers, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations. Eligible applicants should have ODA experience as well as interdisciplinary knowledge.
The Call opens on 25 November and closes 20 December.
UKRI especially invites applications from women to achieve our aim of a 50-50 female/male College membership. UKRI is also especially keen to receive applications from applicants in certain DAC-list countries where we currently have no members (please see section 4 in the Call text) and from certain research areas where the College has a shortage (please see section 5 in Call text).
Call information, eligibility criteria and how to apply, with screenshots of the application SmartSurvey, can be found in the Call text:
- Call text for new members to the UKRI International Development Peer Review College (PDF, 891KB).
- Click here to find out what some of our College members have gained from being a College member (PDF, 431KB)
- Click here to find out why our College members would encourage others to apply to become a College member (PDF, 441KB)
- Equality Impact Assessment - Call for new members to the UKRI International Development Peer Review College (PDF, 183KB)
Resources for college members
The following resources have been designed by UKRI to provide useful information and training for college members.
Induction
- College induction presentation (PDF, 23.9MB)
- UKRI funding landscape presentation (PDF, 23.1MB)
- Background to the GCRF and the underpinning strategy - This short video provides a brief overview of the GCRF and how it fits in to the broader UK Official Development Assistance research funding landscape.
- GCRF Key Principles - This short video outlines the four underpinning principles for RCUK GCRF activities.
Unconscious bias training
- Unconscious bias toolkit - available only to College members (via email)
Reviewer guidance
- How to write a useful review (PDF, 109KB)
- Adding your research expertise in Je-S (PDF, 159KB)
- Navigating Je-S as a reviewer
College meeting reports
College Global Engagement Meetings, February 2019
UKRI brought together 150 College members in Cairo and Bangkok in two unique meetings to foster a sense of College identity, to develop best practice in interdisciplinary peer review, and for members to feedback on GCRF research priorities. The meetings also facilitated networking for the delegates who came from more than 35 countries and a range of research disciplines. The UKRI presentations are available here:
- UKRI College GEMs 2019 – GCRF and Newton Fund presentations (PDF, 1.3MB)
- UKRI and our College members (PDF, 279KB)
- UKRI and the peer review process (PDF, 143KB)
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like further information, you can email us on InternationalPeerReview@ukri.org.
Follow the College on Twitter: #UKRIcollege
Follow the Global Challenges Research Fund on Twitter: @GCRF
Follow the Newton Fund on Twitter: @NewtonFund