Institute of Development Studies
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The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in Sussex, United Kingdom, is one of the world's leading organisations for research, teaching and communications on international development.
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[edit] Constitution and funding
IDS was founded in 1966 as an independent research institute based at the University of Sussex. IDS has close links with the University, but is financially and constitutionally independent. It exists as Charitable Company limited by guarantee, and registered in England.
Funding comes from a combination of research grants and fees from advisory work, teaching, and publication sales. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) is the Institute's largest funder. IDS also receives funds from the European Union, various United Nations agencies, and a wide range of aid agencies, trusts and foundations. The Institute's annual turnover is around £12 million and it has a total staff of about 200 and a current student body of more than 130.
In 2004 Lawrence Haddad replaced Keith Bezanson as Director of IDS.
[edit] Research
The Institute is home to approximately 80 research staff who work in partnership with a broad community of researchers all around the world. The research programmes at IDS are organised in five closely linked multidisciplinary teams:
- Governance
- Globalisation
- Vulnerability and Poverty Reduction
- Participation, Power and Social Change
- Knowledge Technology and Society
Vulnerability and Poverty Reduction team
Vulnerability is a major obstacle to social and economic development. Poor people are especially vulnerable, they have few buffers or resources to cope with hazards or shocks. Yet they are significantly more likely to be affected by ill-health, unemployment, trade shocks, climate change, famine or conflict. Sustainable poverty reduction can only be achieved and managed effectively if vulnerability is better understood.
We aim to identify and develop responses to vulnerability that gives greater agency and voice to the vulnerable and the poor, and engages policymakers and practitioners.
Key research themes
- Climate Change and Disasters
- Social Protection
- Work and Vulnerability
Inter-Institutional Research Themes
- Chronic Poverty
- Conflict
- Food and Agriculture
- Microfinance
[edit] Teaching and training
Conducted in collaboration with the University of Sussex, the postgraduate teaching programme at IDS forms one of Europe's largest centres for teaching in development studies.
IDS currently offers five postgraduate degrees:
- MA in Gender and Development
- MA in Governance and Development
- MA in Participation, Development and Social Change
- MPhil in Development Studies (two-year full-time)
- DPhil by research
[edit] Information Department
IDS hosts several knowledge services aimed at helping people find information and research on international development: the British Library for Development Studies (BLDS), ELDIS (gateway to development information), the research dissemination service id21, BRIDGE (gender and development research and information), the gender equality website Siyanda, Livelihoods Connect, the Health and Development Information team, and the Governance & Social Development Resource Centre. These services are supported by the Information Systems Unit which provides technical support and services, and the Strategic Learning Initiative which leads work in the Information Department on marketing, monitoring and evaluation, research and capacity development.
