Research Brief #7 Enhancing learning in the IS Academies

This research brief describes current mechanisms for learning in so-called ‘IS Academies’, collaborative projects of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), academic institutes, and development agencies. Included are important factors affecting learning, guidelines for policy-relevant research, and the main communication methods of the IS Academy on Human Security in Fragile States (HSFS). The IS Academies were established by MFA, initially forming collaborations between MFA and academic institutes, and later also involving development agencies. They stem from the wish for more connection between MFA and the ‘outside world’, and involve a mixture of various kinds of research. Nevertheless, the midterm review of the IS Academy HSFS revealed that learning processes between academics, policymakers and practitioners could be improved. This led to a short research, of which this research brief aims to share the main findings, to contribute to improved collaboration between research institutes, NGOs, and the government.

The IS Academy 2013

The IS Academy on Human Security in Fragile States is a collaborative research project between the Special Chair Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction and the Disaster Studies chair at the faculty of social sciences, Wageningen University, the Humanitarian Aid and Stabilisation Department at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and five major Dutch NGOs: Cordaid, ICCO, ZOA, Oxfam Novib and the Netherlands Red Cross.