Our work

UKCDS is a collaboration of UK physical, medical, agricultural, environmental, engineering and social sciences organisations working together to maximise the impact of UK research on international development. 

The UKCDS secretariat does not provide funding for research, but our members do. 

Through UKCDS, members work together to identify future research needs, improve coordination and communication and share good practice.

Given the multi-disciplinary nature of development sciences, our remit is broad and varied, covering all sciences and involving stakeholders in government, research organisations, higher education institutions and NGOs.

Current focus areas are:    

• Research policy and practice - including research assessment, research uptake and research collaboration. 
   
• Climate change

• Water
   
• Capacity strengthening 
   
• Natural disasters

• Food security

We contribute to EU framework programme (FP) strategies and are the UK national contact point for international cooperation in FP7.