New Collaboration Invests in African Scholars Studying Development Economics
CEGA Global Fellows gather at UC Berkeley | Photo credit: Diego Garcia-Serna
CEGA and PEP Unveil Partnership to Expand Global Fellows Program
BERKELEY, CA (26 January, 2024) – The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), a research hub at the University of California, Berkeley that generates evidence decision-makers use to reduce global poverty, and the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP), a leading Southern-led organization committed to supporting development in the Global South, today launched a new partnership to expand the CEGA Global Fellows program.
Beginning in fall 2024, two African researchers from PEP’s Experimental Research Group will join other African scholars invited to UC Berkeley’s campus to participate in the semester-long CEGA Global Fellows Program. Since 2012, more than 70 scholars have completed the rigorous research fellowship, auditing courses, working with faculty mentors, and expanding their networks. When the fellows return to their home countries, they engage with their institutions and communities to strengthen rigorous evidence generation locally by facilitating curriculum development, mentorship, or trainings.
“This is an exciting opportunity to expand the impact of the Global Fellows program,” said Carson Christiano, CEGA’s Executive Director. “We have closely followed PEP’s work and are delighted to partner with them as they further invest in their research network.”
Investing in local research talent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is fundamental to the mission of PEP. As part of these efforts, PEP has supported 195 African scholars to conduct rigorous impact evaluations of social policies in LMICs. Building on these prior investments, the Global Fellows Program will strengthen the knowledge and skills of emerging research leaders to generate high-quality, locally-relevant evidence, and contribute to a more effective policy process in their countries.
“Southern-led research is crucial to the advancement of development economics,” said Prof. Jane Mariara, PEP’s Executive Director. “This collaboration exemplifies how Global South and Global North organizations can work together to promote the inclusion of more African scholars in research.”
This partnership builds on previous collaborations involving the Global Fellows Program, including Northwestern University, the Penn Development Research Initiative (PDRI), and the Project on Resources and Governance (PRG). CEGA and PEP were introduced by their shared donor, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, in 2018. In the years since, they have maintained a collaborative working relationship through the Africa Evidence Summit, an annual conference on development economics hosted in rotating countries each year, and the Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research (CIDR), a joint effort to document the state of inclusion in global development research while assessing the potential benefits (and costs) of promising inclusion strategies.
CEGA and PEP are currently reviewing applications. An announcement identifying the selected scholars is planned for February. To learn more about partnering with CEGA to engage African scholars at your organization, please contact CEGA Program Manager Chelsea Downs.
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About CEGA
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is a hub for research, training and innovation headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley. CEGA generates insights that leaders can use to improve policies, programs, and people’s lives. Its academic network includes more than 160 faculty, 65 scholars from low- and middle-income countries, and hundreds of graduate students — from diverse academic disciplines across the globe — that produce rigorous evidence about what works to expand education, health, and economic opportunities for people living in poverty.
About PEP
The Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) is a Southern-led global organization dedicated to supporting development in the Global South. PEP does this by providing high-quality, locally-generated evidence that informs better decisions in policy and practice. To achieve this, PEP supports the work, strengthens the capacity and promotes the findings of local researchers in developing countries; facilitates engagement and collaboration between researchers and policymakers; and creates a space for learning and knowledge-sharing between researchers throughout the globe.
Media Contacts
CEGA
Matthew Kertman
Director of Communications
PEP
Jennie Hurwood
Communications Officer
