About Us

Consortium

The GSDRC is a consortium of twelve organisations with a blend of expertise in governance, conflict, and social development.  Each institution is a leader in its field and as a team we are uniquely positioned to challenge and support each other to provide a high quality services and coverage of our thematic areas. 

Four partners operate the core services of the resource centre:

• University of Birmingham, International Development Department
  
• Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex
  
• Social Development Direct Limited
  
• Coffey International Development

The lead partner is University of Birmingham, based in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

A further eight partners are available to provide personnel for consultancy services. For further details visit our consultancy consortium page.

Core partners

The International Development Department (IDD) (School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham) was founded in 1964 and is distinguished by its focus on governance and its capacity to bridge the gap between theory and practice in development.  As the lead institution, IDD brings an embedded and experienced professional project and research management infrastructure, 40 years experience of close working relationships with donors and partner country governments, and proven capacity to translate research results into the policy agenda.  Recent and current research activities include investigations into non-state service providers, aid effectiveness (including budget support and donor harmonisation), municipal finance, the role of governments in liberalising economies, the relationships between faiths and development, and NGOs in service delivery.  IDD has carried out consultancy work for many donor agencies, including DFID.  Since 2001, IDD has managed the Governance Resource Centre in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies.

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is one of the world’s leading centres for research, information and teaching on development. Founded in 1966, IDS holds an international reputation for the quality of its work and the rigour with which it applies academic and communication skills to real-world policy challenges. IDS brings to the consortium 20 full time governance and social development researchers and its 50-person Information Department (the largest development knowledge services team in Europe).  In all of its work IDS aims to stimulate debate and influence the way people think about international development through effective methods of communication and dissemination.  IDS continues to pioneer new thinking on issues that are central to the continuing challenge of development.  Bringing together perspectives from disciplines as distinct as political science and social anthropology to interact creatively with the complex reality of human poverty is a key IDS strength.  Partnerships are a key to the success of IDS, with the relationships forged broadening our horizons and stimulating new learning (in 2004 IDS collaborated with 176 separate organisations).

Social Development Direct (SDDirect) is a UK company with an international network of consultants and researchers providing evaluation, research, training, and programme and policy advice on social and gender issues in development. Founded in 1999, SDDirect combines cutting-edge research and policy insight with extensive experience working with governments, DFID, and other clients.  It has an active network of more than 60 social development specialists with an in-house team of eight social development professionals.  Since 2000, SDDirect has undertaken more than 90 social development assignments for DFID and has been involved in social development frameworks for Uganda and Iraq, as well as for the European Union.

Coffey International Development is a specialist consultancy management company with substantial experience managing DFID resource centres and framework agreements. In the last five years, Coffey International Development has undertaken more than 80 projects for DFID, many of which have been large scale and multi-disciplinary.  Coffey International Development currently manages DFID’s Economist Resource Centre and is responsible for three other DFID framework agreements in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Coffey International Development is registered with the UK Institute of Management Consultancy and applies ISO 9001 certified systems to ensure consistency in the design and delivery of services in order to manage independent consultants and ensure high quality outputs.  Coffey International Development works in emerging, post conflict and fragile states and has in depth knowledge of countries in Asia, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Africa. Coffey International Development has worked with 45 international organisations on more than 200 assignments in more than 100 countries worldwide.  Coffey International Development has been included in the consortium to bring expertise in the rapid and effective mobilisation of quality consultancy on demand.