Strengthening Think Tanks in South Asia

  • Status:
  • Complete
  • Programme:
  • Think Tank Initiative
  • Funders:
  • FCDO, Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, IDRC, Norad
  • Partner:
  • Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)
  • Years:
  • 2016-2018
  • Key Policy Areas:
  • Climate change and energyFiscal policy and domestic resource mobilisationSocial protection and poverty
  • Type of Support:
  • Policy Influencing Support

Kivu designed and implemented a programme of tailored capacity building for a network of eight think tanks from across South Asia. The capacity building support focused on skills which maximise the potential impact of research on policy making. It covered all key aspects of successful evidence-informed policy influencing including: using political analysis to inform research design; research design itself; policy analysis and development; strategic advocacy; and a full suite of communications techniques. The programme included a combination of face-to-face training sessions for the whole group of partners and tailored mentoring, using a ‘learning through doing’ approach for each individual think tank.

Key Impacts:
  • Continued high levels of engagement across the programme of support, with positive feedback from participants and think tank partner leadership
  • Increased capacity across key research and policy influencing skills for participants