Funding from the Global Challenges Research Fund has enabled Bournemouth University academics to work in partnership with organisations in India, Indonesia and Myanmar to tackle key challenges in each country.
Over £1.5 billion has been allocated by the UK Government to support cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries. The Fund forms part of the UK’s Official Development Assistance commitment, which is its pledge to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income to fight poverty and promote development.
Bournemouth University receives annual funding from Research England to undertake research to support the GCRF. This allocation is used to support projects that help to build collaborations with researchers, policy-makers and practitioners in developing countries, ensuring that the outcomes of this research has a tangible outcome for people in those countries.
In India, Dr Einar Thorsen and Dr Chindu Sreedharan are leading a project which is looking at the way in which sexual violence is reported in the media. By working with journalists and reviewing existing journalistic guidelines, the team aims to better understand the complexities of reporting in this area and inform the ways in which reporting should change.
Meanwhile, in Myanmar Professor Jonathan Parker and Professor Sara Ashencaen Crabtree are using their expertise to inform the re-development of social work education in the country. Social workers in Myanmar face some unique social justice challenges, which could be in part addressed by the profession. By working with the University of Yangon and current student social workers, the team aim to create a curriculum that will help to equip the social workers of the future.
Finally in Indonesia, Professor Amanda Korstjens and Professor Ross Hill are working with BU students and local conservation organisations to tackle the issue of human wildlife conflict. As rainforests diminish, elephants are increasingly coming into contact with human settlements and agricultural land. This can lead to conflict as elephants can cause huge amounts of damage to homes and crops. By working with different groups of stakeholders, the team are aiming to develop and early warning system for villagers.
For more information about BU’s global challenges research, visit the Research Projects webpages.
