On 26 and 27 May 2025, IDOS welcomed the members of its International Scientific Advisory Board (ISB) to Bonn for their third meeting.
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The International Scientific Advisory Board advises the IDOS team strategically on scientific orientation, conceptual and methodological implementation, international partnerships and structural developments. The advisory board consists of internationally renowned scientists from Germany and abroad who are internationally recognised in the research fields of IDOS, represent globally and disciplinarily different science systems, and bring experience from different science-policy interfaces into the advisory of the IDOS portfolio. This year’s meeting chose three strategic focus topics for joint reflection with ISB members: strategic planning in disruptive times, assessing our impact, and building equitable partnerships.
Opening remarks by IDOS Director Prof. Anna-Katharina Hornidge, ISB Co-Chairs Prof. Anke Hoeffler and Prof. Felix Asante, and Dr. Henning Plate, Ministry of Development and Economic Cooperation, set the stage for the interactive programme which followed. This included a report on IDOS’ development and activities in 2024/2025 by IDOS’ Directors, a “Market Stall Session” in which IDOS researchers gave insight into their work and how it relates to the three focus topics chosen, as well as three focus sessions which discussed how to understand, navigate, and shape development in times of epochal ruptures, how to assess impact – acknowledging transformation complexes are non-linear and complex – and how to engage in collaborative research across and beyond North / South and other divides. The meeting also involved an internal session of the ISB and concluded with a brownbag lunch on epistemic diversity and pluralisation of knowledge, where Prof. Anna-Katharina Hornidge, ISB members Prof. Peter Taylor and Dr Andrea Ordóñez as well as Dr Noorman Abdullah were brought in conversation with IDOS researchers and guests from its university networks.
IDOS takes rich inspiration from these two days and expresses its sincere gratitude to all ISB members for their time, consideration and advice.
