Annual Report 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically demonstrated the importance of international research cooperation in dealing with global challenges. Since its foundation, the GRP-Alliance has been committed to strengthening Switzerland's international research cooperation with the Global South. In 2021, we organised an online conference on transformative research and completed, continued or launched various projects.

Publikationen und Projekte im Jahr 2021

Conference 2021

The conference on "Transformative Research - The New Imperative in Science?" took place on 7 May 2021. Because of meeting restrictions due to COVID-19, the conference took place online. The panel discussion and several presentations were filmed and streamed live. After welcoming remarks by SUDAC President Franco Gervasoni, President of the GRP-Alliance Thomas Breu introduced the topic of transformative research with an exciting presentation. Nicolas Randin presented the SDC's expectations regarding transformative research and its promotion by the SDC. Inza Koné, Head of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire explained in an interview with Laurent Goetschel how North-South research could be strengthened after COVID-19. Hilda Liswani, Swetha Rao Dhananka and Hans-Peter Egler presented examples of innovative transformative North-South research projects in a virtual break-out session, and in the concluding panel discussion Christian Frutiger, Head of Global Cooperation at the SDC, Maria Peyro Voeffray, Head of International Relations at SERI, Hans-Peter Egler, Head of Public Affairs at Southpole, and Jürg Utzinger, Head of SwissTPH discussed questions about the future of transformative North-South research and its funding. Marcel Tanner rounded off the conference with his closing remarks.

Research for international development cooperation

The SDC's magazine "One World" published in December focused on the role of research in international development cooperation. The issue emphasises the importance of research and research cooperation in the fight against poverty. One article also presents the work of the GRP-Alliance.