British Academy appoints leading academic from University of Birmingham to deliver anti-poverty programme

The British Academy is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Paul Jackson as Programme Leader of its Sustainable Development Programme.

The Sustainable Development Programme is a series of major research projects that will further sustainable development and work to eliminate poverty. The programme forms part of the Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

Professor Paul Jackson, part of the University of Birmingham’s International Development Department, is a political economist working predominantly on conflict and post-conflict reconstruction. A core area of interest is decentralisation and governance - and it was his extensive experience in Sierra Leone immediately following the war that led him into the area of conflict analysis and security sector reform.

Professor Jackson’s role as Programme Leader started in earnest today as he hosted the first event for the Sustainable Development Programme held at the British Academy in London. As part of the event, the 16 award holders were brought together for the first time to present their research projects and discuss how they will be delivered and evaluated.

The 16 grants awarded as part of the Sustainable Development Programme fund interdisciplinary, policy-focused research, which addresses the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The projects, which focus on sustainable governance, sustainable growth, and human development, will also help advance the UK’s Aid Strategy by informing policies and interventions to improve people’s lives in fragile, conflict-affected states, or in developing countries.

Speaking at the British Academy earlier today, Professor Paul Jackson, said: “The UK Government aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030 ,and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals offer a tremendous framework for making the world a better place for millions of people. 

“However, we currently have only a partial understanding of what works and what doesn’t, and the UK needs an approach that is based on evidence to evaluate the effectiveness and value for money of international aid efforts. Focussing on the core areas of governance, growth and human development, the British Academy’s Sustainable Development Programme is an excellent opportunity to develop research that is not only academically excellent, but also has real impact on people’s lives."

To view a full list of the 2016 Sustainable Development Programme awards, click here

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