The report provides an overview of the results of ongoing DPRN activities in 2009. It shows that the network succeeds, in various ways, in stimulating cooperation and synergy between science, policy, practice and the business community. The many intersectoral coalitions that organise DPRN processes are achieving a great deal by creatively managing relatively small budgets, with DPRN often acting as a catalyst for related activities organised as spin-offs from the DPRN activities.

Based on the 2009 results, DPRN is satisfied that its mission, namely to provide an appropriate joint platform for the very diverse stakeholders in development cooperation, is being accomplished. DPRN is confidently continuing its activities in 2010, the last year of its second phase.

Download the DPRN Progress Report 2009

Download the operational plan for 2010 (activities and budget for 2010)

The second DPRN phase (2008-2010) is going to come to an end at the end of this year. As subsidisers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and WOTRO Science for Global Development, have therefore decided to have the network evaluated by an external reviewer. The focus of the review by the 'Learning for Development' consultancy was on:

1. Assessing the ways in which DPRN has achieved its objectives, and the relevance of these to changes in the Dutch development sector.
2. Establishing what could be a useful purpose (added value) for the DPRN network in the years to come, based on its development in recent years.

The report shows that DPRN is effective, efficient and relevant, even though it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the extent to which DPRN processes have strengthened the use of research findings in day-to-day policymaking and practice.

The main recommendation of this review is to maintain a form of DPRN - preferably under WOTRO - that can serve as a low-threshold window to support individuals from the research, NGO or corporate sector who are working on development issues. This platform would have an incubator function for innovative ideas regarding how to link development research, policy and practice. Unlike previous DPRN phases, this phase would, however, not coordinate broad policy debates, but merely focus on thematic processes.

Download the external review

Search4Dev is the online library for digital publications by Dutch organisations active in the field of development cooperation. Search4Dev has been online since the end of 2008 and currently offers access to over 1,500 publications by more than 20 organisations.

Search4Dev wants to increase the number of participating organisations and publications substantially this year. Search4Dev accepts a variety of publications, including annual reports, policy documents and reports. If you would like publications by your own organisation to be included in Search4Dev, you should contact Hetty Verhagen by e-mail via search4dev@kit.nl or by telephone via +31 (0)20 5688212.

Search4Dev is an initiative of the Development Policy Review Network (DPRN) and is facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via WOTRO Science for Development. The online library is managed by the Royal Tropical Institute [Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen] (KIT) in cooperation with the University of Amsterdam.

http://www.search4dev.nl