7th South Asian Regional Meeting of the TTI

 

The seventh Regional Meeting (RM7) of the South Asian Think Tanks (SATTs) will be held from 5 to 7 February 2018 at BRAC-CDM Savar in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The theme for RM7 is Remaining Relevant in the Policy World: Sustainability Challenges of Think Tanks.

The three-day long meeting will explore how the support from the IDRC to the South Asian cohort of SATTs has strengthened their capacities in terms of generating new knowledge and becoming more effective in policy engagement. The SATTs will also discuss how they will continue to pursue policy engagement in the coming days once TTI withdraws its support to them.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) is jointly hosting the regional meeting.

Concept NoteProgrammeDiscussion BoardTTIThink TanksVideos

Concept Note

1. Background

The seventh regional meeting (RM7) of the South Asian Think Tank (SATTs) will be held at a time when the second phase of Think Tank Initiative (TTI) will come close to the finishing line. Most SATTs have had the experience of about eight years of TTI support. During the previous six regional meetings, SATTs shared their experiences on their successes and lessons as think tanks (TTs) and their strategies and approaches towards strengthening organisational capacity, improving research quality and enhancing outreach. Regional meetings have indeed created the platform where TTs also got an opportunity to understand each other’s challenges in policy engagement. TTs did examine the contexts within which they function, and how to bring innovation in their approaches to face new challenges emanating at the national and global levels.

Taking cues from the earlier regional meetings, RM7 will explore how the support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to the South Asian cohort of Think Tanks (SATTS) has strengthened their capacities to generate new knowledge and become more effective in policy engagement. The SATTs will also discuss how they will continue to pursue their policy engagement in the coming days once TTI withdraws its support to them.

In the above context, the theme of the RM7 has been chosen to be Remaining Relevant in the Policy World: Sustainability Challenges of Think Tanks.” The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) will organise RM7 during 5-7 February 2018 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

2. Objectives of RM7

CPD and BIGD seek to organise a South Asian Regional Meeting of all the grantees of the TTI. The key objectives for the RM7 are as follows:

  • Take stock of and showcase activities of the participating think tanks to understand what has changed during the TTI support phase;
  • Share learning process on innovative research methods and tools, tapping into new evidence sources, advanced ways of policy engagement and innovative communication strategies to expand outreach;
  • Understand the future of the TTI supported TT cohort and develop elements of post-TTI strategy in order to sustain the network of the TT cohort.

3. Agenda for the Meeting

Session 1: Talking Heads

This session will take stock of the TTI experience where the heads of the TTs will reflect on and present their stories of change.

Discussions of individual country context and how this has created opportunities and challenges for new areas of work and funding. Here we should deliberate on limitations, more than on successes of core support. That is, we would reflect on things that could be done better. It is also important that we collectively discuss where we could not put core support to best use.

Session 2: Sustainable Think Tank (STT) Project 

The Sustainable Think Tanks (STT) Project aims to capture the experience and lessons from this unique core support programme of the TTI. The project will document the status of social science research in South Asia with respect to its impact on think tanks and public policy discourse.

This session will elaborate on the project and report the work in progress. A video presentation on the stories of TTs may complement the discussion of the session.

Session 3: Debriefing of the TTI Team by the Grantees

This session will provide a meta-view about the TTI’s activities in South Asia. The session may also provide cross-regional TTI experience. Finally, TTI managers will reflect how they would have run the programme differently given another chance

Session 4:  Remembering Saman Kelegama

This session will reflect on the contribution of one of South Asia’s thought leaders, late Dr Saman Kelegama, former Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), who had dedicated his professional life in promoting South Asian integration.

The theme of the session is “South Asia at Cross Roads: Role of Thought Leaders as Change Agents.”

Session 5: Think Tanks in South Asia: The Last Jedi in SDG Challenge

As a region, South Asia has promising prospects and dynamism to build a sustainable future for all. However, the current political stalemate in the region is holding back or not allowing the region to achieve its potential through regional cooperation.

In this connection, this session is planned to explore whether the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an opportunity for the region to help transform itself. The session will also examine whether the think tanks in South Asia can play a role in internalising and implementing the 2030 Agenda in a regional framework. It is envisaged that through this, the think tanks will contribute towards breaking the current political stalemate.

Session 6: Ensuring Sustainability of Think Tanks? Finance and Beyond

The session will discuss sustainability in four different areas: (i) Quality of Research; (ii) Effectiveness of Policy Outreach; (iii) Finance; (iv) Human Resource.

In this session, participants will think of what methods and modalities of support are more suitable in the emerging funding landscape, and have some innovative ways to suggest to donors, keeping in mind the reality that TTI-type core funds are nearly ruled out in the current climate. While many donors are working with the think tanks, the resource flow is shrinking as the priorities are changing.

Speakers of this session will include members of the think tanks, development partners and the private sector. The objective of inclusion of the private sector is to connect think tanks with the private sector and have open exchanges. Currently, full appreciation of evidence-based policy influencing research among the private sector is largely absent. However, the private sector is not immune to national, regional and global challenges that have implications for all members of the society. How the private sector can work with think tanks towards addressing issues such as climate change, good governance, capacity building and empowerment, achievement of various targets under the Sustainable Development Goals, and other issues that are important for advancing developing countries should be discussed.

Session 7: Elements of Post-TTI Strategy

This session will be the continuation of Session 6.  Once TTI ceases its support to think tanks, it is expected that the think tanks will continue to collaborate among themselves in areas of common interests. For the sustainability of the TT cohort, participants will chart out various strategies for both organisational sustainability and the network’s sustainability.

Session 8:  Role of Southern TTs in Global Knowledge Ecosystem

Southern think tanks have always been marginalised in the global knowledge ecosystem. Being located in the South, think tanks of the region are considered local while the northern think tanks automatically assume the identity as “global” think tanks. Due to locational disadvantages, Southern think tanks remain outside the network which works on global issues even though many southern think tanks have equal competence as the northern think tanks, and the global agenda has relevance for southern countries.

This session will bring out the challenges of southern think tanks as regards being part of the global knowledge ecosystem and overcoming such problems.

Session 9: Do we meet again? Future of the South Asian Network

This session will discuss the sustainability of the network that has developed and strengthened during the TTI period. The TTI awardees should go home with a sense of purpose. This session will also summarise the takeaway from previous sessions during the 3-day long meeting.

4. Participation

In continuation of the previous regional meetings, each think tank will nominate up to four (4) (Executive Director + 3) participants to attend the meeting. The participants may include professionals from research, communication and HR divisions. This will allow discussions around research and organisational issues including finance and outreach activities.

In addition to TTI-supported South Asian TTs, about 12 participants from a number of TTs from Myanmar will join the regional meeting for the first time. This is in view of the prospective support of IDRC to a few TTs in Myanmar. RM7 will provide them with an exposure to the activities undertaken by the SATTs, the challenges faced and the successes achieved through TTI support. For the Dr Saman Kelegama Memorial Lecture, we will invite the family members of Dr Kelegama (wife and two children). Besides, there will be about 14 participants for the Gender workshop to be help prior to the formal opening of RM7 (concept note presented below). In total, there will be about 100 participants at RM7.

Programme

Download

Sunday, 4 February 2018

Workshop on “Gender for research and organisational excellence”

09:30 am – 10:00 am Registration and Reception
10:00 am – 10:05 am Welcome
10:05 am – 10:10 am About the session
10:10 am – 12:40 pm Gender in research
12:40 pm – 01:30 pm Lunch (interactive)
01:30 – 03:00 pm Gender in organisational excellence
Interactive Session

 

DAY 1: Monday, 5 February 2018

08:30 am – 09:00 am Reception
09:00 am – 10:00 am

Venue: Main Auditorium

Setting the Scene

Objectives of this opening session are to contextualise RM7, overview of the programme and expected outcome

 Promo Video

Welcome Remarks

Fahmida Khatun
Executive Director
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

Sultan Hafeez Rahman
Executive Director
BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD)

Speakers

Andrew Hurst
Program Leader
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Guest of Honour

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
Founder and Chairperson
BRAC

Remarks by the Chair

Rehman Sobhan
Chairman
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

10:00 am – 10:30 am
Venue:
Staircase at the entrance to the field & auditorium foyer
Photo Session (Staircase at the entrance to the field) and

Refreshments (Foyer)

10:30 am – 01:00 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 1

Stories of Change

This session will take stock of TTI experience. Members of TTs will reflect on their Stories of Change.

TTs are encouraged to bring a 3-minute video on TTI’s contribution to their organisations.

Discussions of individual country context and how this has created opportunities and challenges for new areas of work and funding. Here, we should focus on limitations, more than on successes of core support. That is, we would reflect on things that could be done better. It is also important that we collectively discuss where we could not put core support to best use.

Moderator

Shekhar Shah
Director-General
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)

01:00 pm – 02:00 pm
Venue: Open Deck
Lunch
02:00 pm – 03:00 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 2

Sustainable Think Tank (STT) Project 

The STT Project aims to capture the experience and lessons from this unique core support programme of the TTI. The Project will document the status of social science research in South Asia with respect to its impact on think tanks and public policy discourse.

Moderator

Ajaya Mani Dixit
Executive Director
Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-Nepal (ISET-N)

Reflections

Three Executive Directors of TTI-funded organisations will share their TTI experiences.

Khalida Ghaus
Managing Director
Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC)

Udan Fernando
Executive Director
Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA)

Yamini Aiyar
President and Chief Executive
Centre for Policy Research (CPR)

Core members of the STT Project will also be available for comments.

Closing Remarks

Sukhadeo Thorat
Professor Emeritus
Jawaharlal Nehru University

03:00 pm – 03:30 pm

Venue: Open Deck

Refreshments
03:30 pm – 05:00 pm
Venue: Open Deck
Session 3

Debriefing of the TTI Team by the Grantees

This session will provide a meta-view about the TTI’s activities in South Asia. The session may also provide cross-regional TTI experience. Finally, TTI managers will reflect how they would have run the programme differently given another chance.

Moderator

Sultan Hafeez Rahman
Executive Director
BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD)

Conversation with:

Andrew Hurst
Program Leader
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Samar Verma
Senior Program Officer
|Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Seema Bhatia-Panthaki

Senior Program Officer
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Shannon Sutton
Senior Program Officer, Knowledge Translation
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

05:15 pm – 06:15 pm

Venue: Main Auditorium

 

Session 4

Remembering Saman Kelegama

South Asia at Cross Roads: Role of Thought Leaders as Change Agents

The session will begin with a video on Late Dr Saman Kelegama


Moderator

Mustafizur Rahman
Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

Opening Remarks

Dushni Weerakoon
Executive Director
Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)

Remarks by the family members of Late Dr Saman Kelegama

Reminiscence by TT Community

This will be an open platform for all colleagues to share memories of Saman Kelegama.

Closing Reflections

 Rehman Sobhan
Chairman, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Venue: Open Deck
BBQ Dinner

 

DAY 2: Tuesday, 6 February 2018

08:30 am – 09:00 am

Venue: Dining Hall 3/4/5

Welcome Tea/Coffee
09:00 am –11:00 am
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 5

Think Tanks in South Asia: The Last Jedi in SDG Challenge

As a region, South Asia has promising prospects and dynamism to build a sustainable future for all. However, the current political stalemate in the region is holding back or not allowing the region to achieve its potential through regional cooperation.

In this connection, this session is planned to explore whether the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an opportunity for the region to help transforming itself. The session will also examine whether the think tanks in South Asia can play a role in internalising and implementing the 2030 Agenda in a regional framework. It is envisaged that through this, the think tanks will contribute towards breaking the current political stalemate.

Moderator

Debapriya Bhattacharya
Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

11:00 am – 11:30 am
Venue: Auditorium Foyer
Refreshments
11:30 am – 01:00 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 6

Ensuring Sustainability of Think Tanks: Finance and Beyond

There will be four groups, each facilitated by one member of a TT. Each group will come up with a set of recommendations for sustainability in the assigned area through brainstorming. A minimum of 12 participants should be in each group. Each group will select one facilitator and one presenter.

Key questions for discussion

Group 1: Quality of Research

  • How can research quality help achieve sustainability of southern TTS?
  • What type of institutionalisation and capacity building is needed for improving research quality?

Group 2: Effectiveness of Policy Outreach

  • How can effectiveness of policy outreach contribute towards institutional sustainability?
  • What are the key elements for an improved policy engagement for southern TTs?

Group 3: Finance

  • How can the sources of finance be diversified by the southern TTs to ensure sustainability? What are the new/innovative sources of finance for southern TTs?
  • How does the global architecture for financing knowledge ecosystem have an impact on the quality of outputs of Southern TTs?

Group 4: Human Resource

  • What type of investments (e.g. training, remuneration, career path) are required for ensuring sustainable skilled human resource in Southern TTs?
  • Should southern TTs look beyond national boundaries for skilled human resource?

Presenters report back to the Plenary Session.

Moderator

Dushni Weerakoon
Executive Director
Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)

Panellists

Sanjay Kumar
Director
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)

Nitin Chaubey
Head, Research Team
Public Affairs Centre (PAC) 

Khondaker Golam Moazzem
Research Director
Centre for Policy Dialogue 

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Robi Axiata Limited

Michael Foley
Chief Executive Officer
Grameenphone

Jane Edmondson
Country Representative
DFID Bangladesh
Open Discussion
Closing Remarks by the Moderator

01:00 pm – 02:00 pm
Venue: Open Deck
Lunch
02:00 pm – 03:30 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 7

Elements of a Post-TTI Strategy

Once TTI ceases its support to think tanks, it is expected that the TTs will continue to collaborate among themselves in areas of common interests. For the sustainability of the TT cohort, participants will chart out various strategies for both organisational sustainability and the network’s sustainability.

This session is a continuation of Session 6. Session 7 takes a deeper look at financial sustainability – especially in a post-TTI scenario.  Each TT is devising its own options in a post-TTI scenario. Clearly, these are confidential decisions and TTs may not want to discuss these in a public forum.  However, this session attempts to have a general discussion regarding various possibilities.

This session will also explore possibilities for collaboration among TTs. In theory, there is considerable merit for TTs to collaborate as knowledge partners. However, in practice, such partnerships are not common. Often TTs are competitors for grants.  There are also political sensitivities towards decisions with regard to such collaboration.

There will be three groups, each facilitated by one member of a TT. Each group will come up with a set of recommendations for sustainability in the assigned area through brainstorming. A minimum of 15 participants should be in each group. Each group will select one facilitator and one presenter.

Key questions for discussion

Group 1

  • What are the merits, demerits, and challenges of the following options:
    • Corpus grants from government
    • CSR grants from business
    • Consultancy assignments
    • Integrate or affiliate with an academic institution
    • Any other ideas?

Group 2

  • In a post-TTI scenario, can TTs work together in a mutually beneficial manner? What are the merits, demerits and challenges in such collaborations?

Group 3

  • What are the merits, demerits, and challenges of the following options:
    • Identifying common research themes and conducting training and capacity building programmes. This could be in the areas of both research and organisational issues.
    • Developing joint research proposals based on relative strengths to improve possibility of selection.

Moderator

Anshu Bharadwaj
Executive Director
Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)

Open Discussion

Closing Remarks by the Moderator

03:30 pm – 04:00 pm
Venue: Auditorium Foyer
Refreshments
04:00 pm – 06:00 pm Networking and Game (Badminton, carom, table tennis, etc.) Time
07:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Cultural Programme and Dinner

 

DAY 3: Wednesday, 7 February 2018

08:30 am – 09:00 am

Venue: Dining Hall 3/4/5

Welcome Tea/Coffee
09:00 am – 11:00 am
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 8

Role of Southern TTs in Global Knowledge Ecosystem

Southern TTs have always been marginalised in the global knowledge ecosystem. Being located in the south, TTs of the region are considered local while the northern TTs automatically assume the identity as “global” think tanks. Due to locational disadvantages, southern TTs remain outside the network even though many southern TTs have equal competence as the northern TTs, and the global agenda has relevance for southern countries.

This session will bring out the challenges of southern TTs of being part of the global knowledge ecosystem and how to overcome such problems.

The participants will be divided into four groups. These groups will brainstorm and come up with a set of recommendations on the theme. A minimum of 12 participants should be in each group. Each group will select one facilitator and one presenter.

Key questions for discussion

Group 1

  • What are the new features of the emerging global knowledge ecosystem which impact on the working of the Southern TTs?

Group 2

  • Which strategies should Southern TTs pursue to break the prevailing political economy that drives the global knowledge ecosystem?

Group 3

  • What are the key constraints facing the Southern TTs in evolving as powerful players (vis-à-vis northern TTs) in the global knowledge ecosystem?

Group 4

  • How South-South TT collaboration could leverage and support strengthened participation of Southern TTs in the global knowledge ecosystem?

Presenters report back to the Plenary Session.

Moderator

Mustafizur Rahman
Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

Panellists

Shannon Sutton
Senior Program Officer, Knowledge Translation
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Sanghmitra Sheel Acharya
Director
Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS)

Abid Suleri
Executive Director
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)
(to be connected via Skype)

Nisha Arunatilake
Director of Research
Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)

Subrat Das
Executive Director
Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)

Salai Ngun Lian Sang
Executive Director
Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies (CDES)

Min Zarni Lin
Deputy Research Director
Centre for Economic and Social Development(CESD)

Open Discussion

Closing Remarks by the Moderator

11:00 am – 11:30 am
Venue: Auditorium Foyer
Refreshments
11:30 am – 01:00 pm
Venue: Main Auditorium
Session 9

Do we meet again? Future of the South Asian Network

Video on Visual Journey of TTI

This session will discuss the sustainability of the network that has developed and strengthened during the TTI period. The TTI awardees should go home with a sense of purpose. This session will also summarise the takeaway from previous sessions during the three-day long meeting.

Moderator

Debapriya Bhattacharya
Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

Panellists

Andrew Hurst
Program Leader
Think Tank Initiative (TTI)
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Sultan Hafeez Rahman
Executive Director
BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD)

Khalida Ghaus
Managing Director
Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC)

Shekhar Shah
Director-General
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)

Fahmida Khatun
Executive Director
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)

Open Discussion

Closing Remarks by the Moderator

12:30 pm – 01:30 pm
Venue: Open Deck
Lunch
02:00 pm – 05:00 pm Cricket Match
05:00 pm – 06:00 pm
Venue: Open Deck
Refreshments

 

As the second phase of Think Tank Initiative (TTI) is coming to an end, weaving a discussion reflecting on the experience of the TTI grantees will generate a coherent stock of knowledge, which will have pragmatic value in making the ways towards future. We encourage the TTI grantees to share their experience and voice their opinion while commenting on others in this Discussion Board. The knowledge generated through this discussion will be compiled and shared during Think Tank Initiative’s 7th South Asia Regional Meeting 2018.

 

Strengthening independent policy research institutions in developing countries.

The Think Tank Initiative (TTI) is dedicated to strengthening the capacity of independent policy research institutions in the developing world. Launched in 2008 and managed by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), TTI is a partnership between five donors.

TTI currently provides 43 think tanks in 20 countries with core, non-earmarked funding. This support, which comprises up to 30 percent of their operating budgets, allows the institutions to attract, retain and build local talent, develop an independent research program, and invest in public outreach to ensure that research results inform and influence national and regional policy debates.

TTI seeks to nurture the long-term sustainability of the think tanks it funds. As such, core funding is combined with dedicated capacity development support by program officers and external experts in three broad areas: research methods and skills, policy engagement and communication, and general organizational effectiveness. TTI also supports peer-to-peer review, learning and exchange.

Visit TTI website.

South Asian Think Tanks

 

BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD, formerly IGS)
South Asia: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research areas: Economics, Governance

Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP)
South Asia: Bangalore, India
Research areas: Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Governance, Information & Communication

Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)
South Asia: Delhi, India
Research areas: Economics, Food & Agriculture, Governance

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
South Asia: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research areas: Development, Economics, Environment & Natural Resources, Food & Agriculture, Social Policy

Centre for Policy Research (CPR)
South Asia: Delhi, India
Research areas: Development, Economics, Environment & Natural Resources, Governance, Social Policy

Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA)
South Asia: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Research areas: Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Evaluation, Governance, Social Policy

Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)
South Asia: Delhi, India
Research areas: Development, Governance, Health, Social Policy

Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS)
South Asia: Delhi, India
Research areas: Development, Governance, Social Policy

Institute for Social and Environmental Transition – Nepal (ISET-N)
South Asia: Kathmandu, Nepal
Research areas: Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Food & Agriculture, Governance

Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)
South Asia: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Research areas: Economics, Food & Agriculture, Governance, Social Policy

National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)
South Asia: Delhi, India
Research areas: Development, Economics, Food & Agriculture, Social Policy

Public Affairs Centre (PAC)
South Asia: Bangalore, India
Research areas: Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Governance

Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC)
South Asia: Karachi, Pakistan
Research areas: Development, Economics, Governance, Social Policy

Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)
South Asia: Islamabad, Pakistan
Research areas: Economics, Environment & Natural Resources, Food & Agriculture, Health, Social Policy

 

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