Coping with the effects of climate change requires strategic approaches by building capacity in multi- and trans-disciplinary areas. It is for this reason that the CIRCLE programme offered fellowships in selected multidisciplinary thematic fields.
Between 2014-2017, a total of 100 early career researchers were awarded a one-year CIRCLE Visiting Fellowship. Our partner, The African Academy of Sciences (AAS), managed all fellows for the duration of their fellowship year.
Fellowships were awarded to 39 Masters-qualified researchers and 61 PhD-qualified researchers in the field of climate change, with exactly 50% of awards made to female academics. Proposals covered a range of multidisciplinary research including water, energy, agriculture, political economy, and health and livelihoods.
Through the fellowship programme, CIRCLE has provided opportunities to the fellows to develop their skills and boost their research profile both in academic and non-academic spheres. This included guidance on publishing and conference selection.
In early 2018, 46 CIRCLE alumni responded to a follow-up survey on their progress since completing their fellowship. 70% reported that the level of discussion and communications over support for early career researchers had increased in their institution over the last 12 months. 72% reported that the actual support provided for early career researchers had also increased.
Institutions involved in the Institutional Strengthening Programme (ISP) have been encouraged to include CVFs in their implementation teams, and 67% of ISP Implementation Teams now include CVFs as active members, offering opportunities to extend the benefit of their learning from their fellowship to strengthen the capacity of their peers.
The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) funds research to contribute to its overarching goal of poverty reduction. Under the DFID definition, research uptake includes: all the activities that facilitate and contribute to the use of research evidence by policy-makers, practitioners and other development actors. Engaging stakeholders throughout the research process is important to ensure stakeholders understand and are involved in the research process and research is relevant to in-country needs and priorities.
Purpose of the fund
The Research Uptake Fund was created to provide funds to CIRCLE fellows and alumni to undertake activities that will facilitate the use of their CIRCLE-funded research by policymakers and practitioners/users and other relevant stakeholder groups.
The fund also supported engagement with stakeholders throughout the research cycle and ensured that CIRCLE research responded to a set of well-defined research questions and developmental needs.
Research uptake activities eligible for the fund covered the following requirements:
The types of activities the CIRCLE Research Uptake Fund supported included:
Success of the fund
Over the course of the CIRCLE programme, three calls for Research Uptake Funding have taken place. A total of 130 applications were received, of which 66 were successful. A total of $157,931 was awarded to our Fellows to carry out a range of activities to share their research and increase the impact of their work.