ACU Equitable Research Partnerships Toolkit

Higher education research partnerships can help optimise knowledge creation and impact, strengthen research capacity, and improve the overall quality and relevance of research. However, these alliances can also bring about a unique set of considerations and challenges, particularly around power imbalances in planning, implementation and dissemination.

Equity is key. If a research partnership is to have maximum impact it should function on a fair and level playing field.

What is the ACU Equitable Research Partnerships Toolkit?

The ACU Equitable Research Partnerships Toolkit is a collection of practical resources to assist analysis and action for addressing equity in research partnerships. Supporting the establishment and advancement of fairer north-south and south-south research relationships was at the forefront during its creation. This was informed by substantial research, conducted with a range of ACU members from across the Commonwealth, as well as equitable research partnership stakeholders and experts.

The toolkit looks to stimulate critical thinking and dialogue about what equity means, and what it might ‘look like’ in a research partnership, as well as suggesting practical actions that can be implemented to strengthen this. Each tool comes with specific guidance on why, when and how to use it. Every tool is designed to help establish or enhance equity within a research partnership.

Navigating the toolkit

To help you navigate the toolkit, we’ve broken it down into an introduction and six different sections. These sections are based on the tool type, and its outputs and outcomes.

Each individual tool also includes guidance on which stage of the partnership process it is most applicable to. Certain tools can be used at multiple stages, but many of them are particularly pertinent to the planning phase.