Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Partnerships Resource Centre?
- What does the Partnerships Resource Centre do?
- Why are Partnerships important?
- Can I become a partner of the Partnerships Resource Centre?
- What is the difference between a "lead partner" and a "project partner"?
- Does the Partnerships Resource Centre finance projects?
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What is the Partnerships Resource Centre?
The Partnerships Resource Centre is an open centre where academics, practitioners and students can create, retrieve and share knowledge on cross sector partnerships for sustainable development. The centre does (or commissions) fundamental research, develops tools, knowledge sharing protocols as well as web-based learning modules and executive training. Most of these activities are open to the general public and are aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of partnerships around the world. The centre’s ambitions are to have a high societal as well as scientific impact (resulting in citation scores in academic as well as popular media). It should function as a source of validated information regarding cross sector partnerships, a platform for exchange of information and a source of inspiration for practitioners around the world.
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What does the Partnerships Resource Centre do?
The Partnerships Resource Centre contains four different tracks of research and activities: portfolio development, global value chains development, effective public goods provision and issue management. They are aimed at bringing together supply and demand in a ‘researchable’ format, while also making sure that knowledge can be effectively disseminated to policy makers and practitioners alike. The tracks are organised as learning networks with the ultimate aim to link them to actual (decentralised) partnership processes in developing countries in order to guarantee application of the generated knowledge – build up capacity – in favour of poverty eradication and sustainable development. Each track focuses on a particular type of partnership: (1) from the perspective of individual actors, (2.1) bi-partite partnerships primarily between profit and non-profit parties, (2.2) bi-partite partnerships primarily between public and private parties, (2.3) tri-partite partnerships to approach ‘issues’. Four complementary levels of analysis/approach are therefore represented in the Resource Centre: actor, chain, nation, issue.
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Why are Partnerships important?
It is increasingly acknowledged that governments, civil society organisations (NGOs) and companies in support of sustainable development have fallen prey to various forms of ‘failure’ which has seriously limited the impact of their individual efforts. Partnerships consequently, have moved from being a ‘luxury’ - an add-on philanthropical activity – towards a necessary precondition for sustainable development. Consequently, the number of partnerships is booming, but their effectiveness is ill-understood. Necessity turns into opportunity in case partnerships result in new societal combinations, new institutions and innovation solutions for the complex problem of sustainable development. The goals are clear (for instance the Millennium Development Goals), the road however is far from clear. The partnership ambition is based on development as (joint) ‘investment’ rather than as a ‘subsidy’ or ‘aid’ question. Development requires an approach in which the interests of firms, governments and civil society are balanced (in various combinations).
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Can I become a partner of the Partnerships Resource Centre?
Yes it is possible to become a partner of the PrC.
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What is the difference between a "lead partner" and a "project partner"?
The lead partners of the Partnerships Resource Centre are a select group of partners that have a seat in the network board of the centre. Together, the lead partners set the agenda for research and activities and make decisions on the general policies of the centre. Project partners are those partners with which the Partnerships Resource Centre works closely together on different research or knowledge dissemination projects. They are closely involved in the projects but do not have a seat in the network board of the centre.
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Does the Partnerships Resource Centre finance projects?
It is not the role of the Partnerships Resource Centre to be a donor. The PrC was started with the objective of retrieving, creating and sharing knowledge. This means that we might be able to facilitate, assist or work together on projects on cross-sector partnerships.