Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Velho, Lea
Author-Email: velho@intech.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: United Nations University, Institute for New Technologies
Title: Research Capacity Building in Nicaragua: From Partnership with Sweden to Ownership
	 and Social Accountability 
Abstract: This paper analyses the Nicaragua-Sweden partnership to build research capacity in
	 Nicaragua with support from SAREC (the research division of the Swedish
	 International Development Agency). It looks at the history of this twenty-years old
	 partnership and identifies the main outcomes and impacts, based on extensive
	 quantitative and qualitative data collection from various sources. The main
	 intention was to contribute to the direction of the future co-operation between
	 Nicaragua and Sweden both at a local level and at the donor's (SAREC) level. The
	 paper, however, attempts to go further beyond a case study by proposing and
	 developing a general argument. This is that modalities of support to research
	 capacity building in the South need to move from old assumptions concerning
	 knowledge production, utilisation and the nature of development. In order to
	 develop such argument, the paper unveils and discusses the assumptions underlying
	 SAREC's modality of support to Nicaragua and points out their limitations. It
	 finishes by suggesting new assumptions to be taken into account when designing
	 modalities of support to research capacity building, as follows: i) the notion of
	 innovation as a non-linear process involving different stakeholders and forms of
	 knowledge; ii) the need for social relevance and accountability; iii) the idea of
	 self-determination and local ownership
Keywords: Development Cooperation, Capacity Building, Research Partnership, Ownership
Series: Discussion Paper
Creation-Date: 2002
Number: 09
File-URL: http://www.intech.unu.edu/publications/discussion-papers/2002-9.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 341 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unuint:200209