This month, the RDI Network is launching a new practical guide for academics and practitioners, How to Partner for Development Research. Featuring practical tools and good practice case studies, this resource is an essential reference for academics, practitioners and their organisations to support them throughout the partnership process.

Fostering cross-sector partnerships is a key objective of the RDI Network, and this new guide builds upon past work which has included the documentation of case studies, and our latest RDI Conference ‘Partnering for Impact on Sustainable Development’.

The guide provides an introduction to different types of partnerships and helps you recognise what type of arrangement is right for you – from transactional to the transformational. Recognising that effective partnerships require intentional management, it offers tools, tips and advice for you and your organisation to consider at all stages of the partnership cycle.

The guide was commissioned by the RDI Network, and developed by the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. It draws together key insights and expertise from existing resources and materials (from both within and external to the development sector), and brings a unique cross-sector lens to the research process.

Whether you are an academic seeking to partner with an NGO to undertake your next research process, or an NGO practitioner trying to broker a relationship with a university to build an evidence-base, this resource will help you get there. By prompting you to ask the right questions, look out for common pitfalls, and recognise opportunities to build relationships (not just contracts!), this guide will give you and your organisation the roadmap you need to navigate your next collaboration.

In a series of networking events in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, the guide is being launched with members of the RDI Network community. We look forward to seeing how this resource will be used across the development sector, and welcome any feedback from the Network.