The vast majority of development research is carried out in northern countries by researchers who, for the most part, have only an academic understanding of the real obstacles that face people in developing countries, and whose main purpose of the research is to get articles published in top journals.  

The Institute for Advanced Development Studies was created in order to facilitate independent development research by researchers from developing countries who live with the problems of underdevelopment every single day and thus are better positioned to prioritize and propose viable solutions to the problems.

This does not mean that we are not interested in publishing our research in top academic journals. Indeed the aim of the Institute is to gather a critical mass of researchers with excellent academic training as well as many years of life experience in developing countries, who can make professional development research that helps poor countries overcome critical obstacles to sustainable development.

We believe that joint research by researchers from developed and developing countries enhances the quality and usefulness of development research, and are therefore actively seeking collaborators from both north and south.