Agulhas' Fellow Willem van Eekelen won the 2017 Outstanding Teaching Award of the University of Birmingham’s College of Social Sciences, which includes about 500 teaching staff. Willem is a Senior Fellow at Agulhas and a Teaching Fellow at the International Development Department of the University of Birmingham. He teaches modules on Poverty and Inequality, Rural [...]
Today ICAI published a learning review on DFID's aims to improve economic development and create jobs in Africa. ICAI found the department has pursued a well-considered approach to building up its knowledge and expertise in the area of inclusive growth, doubling its global investment in economic development – from £934 million in 2011-12 to £1.8 billion [...]
Today ICAI published a performance review on UK aid delivery in Somalia. It found the UK aid is making a positive contribution to state-building and stability in Somalia, despite facing extremely challenging circumstances. The aid, which amounted to £185m in 2016/17, delivered significant achievements in Somalia. However, the UK could improve its performance in several important [...]
Today ICAI published its Follow-Up Year 5 report. Each year, ICAI follows up on the response to the recommendations it made in previous reviews. The process is a key link in the accountability chain, providing Parliament and the public with an account of how well DFID and other government departments have responded to ICAI reviews. [...]
Today ICAI published a rapid review exploring what progress the UK has made in developing a relevant and effective aid response to irregular migration. ICAI found that the cross-departmental approaches to addressing the root causes of migration are still under development and have not yet fully absorbed research findings on the causes of irregular migration. [...]
The International Development Committee (IDC) heard from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) and the Department for International Development (DFID) on the effects of DFID's cash transfer programmes on poverty and vulnerability. The IDC questioned ICAI on the methodology used for evidence gathering, on the complementarity with the recently published ODI research on cash [...]
Today ICAI published a rapid review of the Prosperity Fund, a cross-government aid fund promoting economic reform and growth in developing countries. ICAI’s latest review has found that the Prosperity Fund needs to continue to improve its systems and processes to support the pace and scale of delivery. The review found several emerging challenges for the [...]
The International Development Committee (IDC) heard from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) and the Department for International Development (DFID) on the UK aid’s support for marginalised girls' education. The session looked at the coherence and effectiveness of DFID's interventions and the appropriateness of DFID's 'value for money' focus when trying to reach the [...]
Today ICAI published an impact review on the Department for International Development (DFID) use of cash transfer programmes to reduce poverty and vulnerability. The review found that the transfers – which include any regular payments made to individuals or households – had consistently increased incomes and consumption levels among some of the world’s poorest people, and [...]
2017
What impact investing could learn from the development aid world – Tom Berliner
By admin|News comment and analysis|
Impact investing is all the rage. The Gates and Zuckerberg clans are enthusiasts. Even the Pope is into it. The idea behind impact investment, that you can ‘do well by doing good’, is taking hold of the philanthropic and financial worlds. It offers the attractive suggestion that the best way to support social impact causes [...]