ISPC Task Force

Report (draft)

ISPC 12; 15 September 2015

Methodology

• 9 members representing 3 major research funders + representatives of Centers, Center Boards, IEA, CO and CB plus ISPC Chair and Exec Director

• 3 virtual meetings

• Review of documents on good practice within other funding organizations and of work done by ISPC to date

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Task to consider how to

strengthen ISPC’s role in

• Providing strategic guidance to FC/SC

• Foresight analyses

• Assessing and reporting of research results

• Prioritization

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Principles endorsed

• Independence from decision-making – not independence from the System

• Need to simplify current complexity of the System as a whole

• Broadening of interpretation of ISPC’s role in partnership

• ISPC should not be involved in monitoring but should be expected to follow up on action taken to respond to issues

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Vision

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ISPC should provide intellectual leadership in giving scientific direction to the CGIAR at the System level in terms of : scientific foresight and prioritization, assessment and delivery of science quality, strategic approaches to partnerships and the development of a rigorous impact culture across the System

Recommendation F&P

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Foresight and prioritization

• ISPC to conduct scientific foresight exercises to inform the development of a prioritization framework

• Timing of major foresight work would relate to revision of the SRF but smaller studies would continue on an annual basis

• ISPC should also lead the development of a System-wide \Foresight and Prioritization network

Recommendation Science Quality • Expand remit to ensure science quality is consistent

across the System

• Requires closer engagement with IEA and SO but also with science committees of Boards and Independent Science Committees of CRPs to bring all relevant knowledge on the issues together

• ISPC, IEA and SO to develop a framework for closer working between these entities which will be reviewed by the external evaluations of ISPC, IEA and SO scheduled to start in 2016

• Continue reviews of cross-disciplinary working

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Recommendation Partnerships

• ISPC should expand its role on partnerships to develop a strategic vision along the whole of the AR4D continuum

• Requires close engagement with GFAR and the SO as well as Centers and CRPs e.g. convening a network on partnerships for impact

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Impact assessment

• ISPC to continue pressing for rigorous assessment of impact CRP and System level, supported by adequate funding

• ISPC should explore the possibility of collaboration with other bodies (e.g. the EC) on assessing the impacts of agricultural research

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Recommendation general

• ISPC should ask for a regular opportunity at FC/SC meetings to raise strategic science and partnership issues for discussion

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Resources required

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Current

resource

–staff

Current

resource

-

activities

Additional

staff resource

Additional

activities

resource

Proposed

new total

staff

Proposed

new total

activities

Foresight and

Prioritization 172 90 400 300 341 390

Science Quality and

relevance 370 80 100 600 180

Partnerships 139 170 83 150 252 320

Impact Assessment 484 505 Continuation

of SIAC

Continuation

of SIAC

484 505

Communication 29 82 50 82 50

Chair and 6 Council

members 415 80 0 495

Exec Director +

Admin support 546 50 596

Operating costs 245 50 295

Grand total 3245 1345 4590

Next steps

• Draft has gone to FC for initial feedback by 28

September

• Draft with TF members if they wish to share with their broader constituencies

• Redrafting to be completed by 13 October

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