The INSPIRE (International Strategic Partnership in Research and Education) started in 2008 to design a programme to strengthen significantly the relationship’ between countries in South Asia and the UK through making a transformational increase in the number and scope of partnerships between UK universities and universities in the priority countries in the region. INSPIRE has been a major success in terms of achieving most of the goals and successfully ended in high note in 2017.
Objective
- the value of making collaboration in research- the main focus for international partnership programmes
- the programme attracted a wide cross-section of UK universities to participate, including a high proportion of Russell Group institutions
- the programme also attracted some of the best and the brightest academics from the top Bangladeshi universities, the academics can see the impact of their work on individuals, institutions and society
- the enhancement of the prospects for securing additional national and international research funding
Engagement in the UK
Universities as partners for exchange of knowledge and collaboration
Feedback from the UK Project leads has demonstrated the value of the programme to the UK which the Impact Assessment Reports have highlighted on 3 different aspects:
(a) the access provided to indigenous research data and indigenous researchers;
(b) the recruitment and funding of high-quality research students;
(c) the sense of worth that comes from working on projects with immediate social returns.
Engagement in Bangladesh
- Policy makers and academic practitioners
- Universities, UGC and Ministry of Education
- Students