Strengthening knowledge translation at IDRC

The expertise and experience of the researchers we support in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean has taught us that research and innovation on their own are not sufficient to drive positive change. Knowledge generated by research needs to be easily accessible, visible and useful to targeted and engaged decision-makers and practitioners who are influencing development agendas and informing solutions.

This is why a core objective of IDRC’s Strategy 2030 guiding our vision for a more sustainable and inclusive world is to “share knowledge for greater uptake and use,” which places significant emphasis on increasing the influence of the research we support. 

To achieve this goal, IDRC is enhancing its investment in moving evidence into action to address development challenges. We are pursuing a more systematic and intentional approach to supporting these efforts, which we refer to as knowledge translation, across our programs.

Insights from a formative evaluation

In 2023, IDRC commissioned a formative, learning-oriented evaluation to examine how we are embedding and strengthening knowledge-translation capacity and outcomes in IDRC programs. The evaluation focused on assessing the effectiveness and relevance of program designs that include explicit investments in knowledge-translation expertise and support as a complement to the research process.

The findings about program design and engagement with knowledge-translation support, mechanisms for learning and achieving intended outcomes, effectiveness, and their resulting recommendations are presented in a report entitled Knowledge sharing for a more sustainable and inclusive world: an evaluation of program support models for knowledge translation in IDRC-funded research.

Learn more in this evaluation knowledge brief about knowledge-translation concepts, approaches and mechanisms used in the evaluation, as well as the key planning considerations to effectively mobilize knowledge-translation expertise in program design.

Read the synthesis of findings on knowledge translation from previous IDRC evaluations, prepared as background for this evaluation.

Insights from learning case studies on integrated knowledge translation 

Integrated knowledge translation (IKT), or research co-production, actively engages knowledge users such as policy decision-makers, practitioners and beneficiaries throughout the research process. Building on the 2023 evaluation, IDRC commissioned a series of case studies to explore the design, activities and practices that make IKT effective in driving real-world change. These case studies, including on Women RISE, Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) — West Africa, and Gender in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (GIST or Gender in STEM), offer insights into how collaborative research models enhance outcomes and inform IDRC’s continued reflection on best practices for program design and delivery. 

Learn more in this case study synthesis.