About GRTD

Global Research and Technology Development (GRTD) funded by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) represents our portfolio of high quality and impactful research and development, which tackle the most pressing challenges of our time: to build prosperity, resilience and security around the world.

Who we are

GRTD, managed by the Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) in FCDO under the Chief Scientific Adviser, represents FCDO’s science, technology, and innovation investments. It collaborates with international universities, institutions, and the private sector to deliver global public good outputs. GRTD shares funding opportunities, highlights partnerships, impacts, and research outputs to enhance engagement between FCDO, academia, and the global science and technology sector. It also includes the new Research Commissioning Centre, which aims to improve collaboration with research partners for equitable funding and commissioning.

What we do

We harness global expertise and collaboration

GRTD invests in research and development through partnerships, leveraging science and innovation to address complex challenges. We collaborate with institutions and researchers on international programmes, using rigorous methodologies and adhering to ethical standards. Our quality-assured research is shared openly. Our portfolio includes strategic partnerships with global funders, research consortia, private-public entities like the UN and World Bank, and other mission-driven organisations.

We strengthen local country research systems and partnerships

We invest in deep, enduring and equitable partnerships in low- and middle-income countries to generate locally relevant research and technology development for sustainable impact and development progress. We are committed to empowering scientists to access and contribute to the latest scientific knowledge. We work in partnership to strengthen local research, technology, and innovation capacity and create an enabling environment for innovation.

We influence and deliver long-term, inclusive impact for the global good

GRTD brings researchers and scientists from the UK into open and secure partnerships with researchers and innovators across the world. We work with allies who share our commitment to open science for the global good, to drive our scientific response to some of the biggest global challenges. Our work is diverse and includes supporting development of vaccines and medical treatments, and creating improved crop varieties to support food security.

How we work

GRTD research outputs are disseminated openly following a robust quality assurance and peer review process. All our research and development meets the internationally recognised OECD Frascati definition. Most of GRTD’s funding is defined as Official Development Assistance (ODA), following the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC)’s eligibility criteria. Read more about ODA conditions: ODA eligibility and conditions | OECD. The FCDO also funds research in areas not covered by ODA conditions.

Project teams and researchers managing and implementing GRTD-funded programmes are expected to follow the highest UK government standards as set out in FCDO Programme Operating Framework, guidance for Managing Public Money, and wider standards for commissioning research. All GRTD research is expected to comply with the Ethical Guidance for Research, Evaluation and Monitoring Activities and Safeguarding in International Development Research.

We emphasise equality, diversity and inclusion in all GRTD investments, including equitable research partnership principles. We are committed to improving efficiency and effectiveness of research, by reducing bureaucracy and accelerating access to funding in line with UK government commitments. The GRTD’s Research Commissioning Centre has been designed to achieve these improvements. For more information, visit the Research Commissioning Centre page.

Banner image:Local staff member of Azuri Technologies delivering solar system to householder in Africa. Azuri has been supported by the FCDO Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform to scale-up its technology; ©Azuri

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