Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium focuses on the relationship between internal and regional migration and poverty in Africa and Asia. It is funded by the UK’s Department for International Development and coordinated out of the University of Sussex.

The goal of Migrating out of Poverty is to maximise the poverty reducing and developmental impacts of migration and minimise the costs and risks of migration for poor people.

Although migration does not necessarily lead to such positive outcomes, Migrating out of Poverty is working to produce research which sheds light on the circumstances in which migration can most effectively reduce poverty.

 ELLA (Evidence and Lessons from Latin America) mixes research, exchange and learning to inspire development policies and practices that are grounded in evidence about what works in varied country contexts.

ELLA is led by Practical Action Consulting Latin America (Soluciones Prácticas Consultoría), based in Lima, Peru. Since it began in 2010, ELLA has involved a wide range of development research and practice organisations from Latin America, Africa, South Asia and the UK.

During the current phase of ELLA (2014-17), PAC Latin America has teamed up with the with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), at Sussex University in the UK, and twelve research centres (independent think tanks, university departments and university-affiliated centres) from Latin America and Africa.

The immediate aim of this project is to strengthen the capacity of the universities to play a role in governance and policy fields by addressing relevant development problems, such as the borderland issues. Increasing competence and advocacy on the specific aspects of borderland situations, such as human rights, women rights, rights of marginal borderland groups, environmental concerns as well as human health and general human development concerns is an important part of the process. In order to do this one part of the program is to increase capacities within the three national universities in teaching and research and making their working conditions more attractive by improving physical infrastructure and making resources available for fieldwork, publications and international networking. Improving the working environment will help to retain the university trained manpower.

 One year Fellowships will be awarded for research proposals on impact of climate change in Africa, with up to 100 fellowships funded over four years; 40 post-MSc researchers and 60 post-doctoral researchers.Fellowships will be specifically targeted at early career researchers in African institutions. Prospective fellows will be nominated from African Institutions with plans to develop their research and training in climate impact research and hosted by leading African universities and research institutions in the field. Upon completion, fellows will then return to their home institutions to help develop the research and training capacity. The CIRCLE programme will improve research skills in early career African scientists through experiential learning under the guidance and mentorship of senior African researchers. The 5-year programme will also provide support and training to develop the institutional research capacity of participating institutions with quality assurance support on research career training from reputable advanced research institution. 

OSSREA is a selected as a host institution for this project.