(REF RM27) The significance of international research cooperation for the attainment of SDGs – approaches from research management. Convened by DLR, Germany.

Research funding on science and innovation is becoming more and more mission-oriented, in order to push topics that contribute to the solution of societal challenges, such as the ones connected to the SDGs. Contributing to the SDGs also requires a clear perspective on technology and knowledge transfer through close collaboration with all stakeholders. The session should address the following questions:

• Are new formats of funding needed?
• How can stakeholders be involved in order to address global challenges?
• How can we understand and measure the impact of science to these challenges?
• Is a new framework needed to integrate the SDGs into the framework of impact assessment of STI policies?

Agenda

Thematic overview/ setting the scene: The significance of international research cooperation for the attainment of SDGs (DLR/ DLR-PT)

Research management perspective:
How can we increase the efficiency of international cooperation through targeted research management? The German African Innovation Incentive Award could serve as an example of how innovation cooperation with SSA and its accompanying measures can increase the cooperation’s efficiency. The award/ program focuses on technology and knowledge transfer.

SDGs and the Theories of Change and Impact Pathways (TCIP) Instrument in the multilateral STI cooperation:
The co-design of common programmes are key for the success of multilateral cooperations. The Theories of Change and Impact Pathways (TCIP) Instrument serves the development of a shared common understanding of challenging situations and identifying common goals. Linking the roadmaps of the TCIP instrument to the SDGs allows a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) process, which points thereby also to the need for cyclic multistakeholder programming approaches. The SDGs are therefore suggested to be part of the basis of each cyclic programmatic approach in the field of STI and should be based on the TCIP Instrument. The topic is illustrated by the example of the EU-funded ‘LEAP-Projects’ and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

 
International perspective: global approaches/ measures on SDG, impact assessment and STI.