Three UP academics from UP’s Albert Luthuli Leadership Institute report back from their visit to Germany where they sought insight into new approaches to enhance current projects related to the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative.

Professor Derick de Jongh, Dr Dominique Mystris and Dr Stanley Ntakumba of the Albert Luthuli Leadership Institute (ALLI) at the University of Pretoria (UP) recently participated in a Learning Journey to Germany. The event was organised by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which coordinates the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative (SDGI), a multi-stakeholder partnership, in South Africa.

The SDGI partnership includes several key stakeholders: the Presidency (policy and research services branch), civil society organisation the African Monitor Trust, Stellenbosch University’s Policy Innovation Lab and UP’s ALLI, which runs the Policy Support Initiative (PSI) and the SDG Hub. These platforms aim to bridge the gap between academic research and policy transformation. The PSI secretariat plays a crucial role by serving as a central mechanism to process policy questions from the government by identifying and appointing suitable academic experts from across the 26 public universities in South Africa.

The primary objective of the Learning Journey was to gain insights from various German institutions regarding their approaches to implementing projects similar to those initiated by the SDGI. By examining these approaches, the team aimed to gather valuable lessons to enhance current SDGI projects and inform the planning for the initiative’s second phase, which is set to begin in October 2025.

The main highlight was the team’s visit to the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), a renowned think tank based in Bonn, Germany. Founded in 1964, IDOS operates as an independent organisation that is dedicated to postgraduate training and research, and providing policy advice to the German government. The visit was hosted by Dr Sven Grimm, who leads the Research Programme on Inter- and Transnational Cooperation and is an extraordinary professor at Stellenbosch University.

The experience at IDOS exemplifies the “gold standard” for supporting evidence-based policy transformation. IDOS’s approach integrates rigorous research methodologies with high-level expertise to influence policy. Their research and advisory services span a wide array of topics related to development and sustainable futures, including social, economic, geopolitical and climate change issues. They produce a diverse range of knowledge products, which are published online, and engage with decision-makers both locally within Germany and internationally within the European Union and other multilateral forums.

The ALLI team gleaned several key lessons related to the PSI:

• Bridging the gap between research and policymaking: The team learned that bridging the gap between academic research and policymaking is a complex challenge. It requires the involvement of multidisciplinary teams, active stakeholder engagement and negotiations. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that some policy questions may not have clear answers through scholarly research alone.
• Investment in skills and networks: IDOS’s success highlights the importance of investing in skills and building robust networks. With about 170 experts and strong global partnerships with universities and think tanks, IDOS exemplifies how these investments contribute to quality assurance and career recognition within the academic community.
• Publication and confidentiality: Publishing research and advisory notes is crucial for maintaining transparency and credibility. However, it is equally important to respect the confidentiality of political clients. This balance is vital for maintaining trust and ensuring the integrity of the policy advice provided.

Given that the PSI is a relational initiative rather than an institutional one, the team believes that it can leverage the lessons learned from IDOS to enhance capacity-building efforts in South Africa. This involves engaging robustly with academic institutions, science councils like the Human Sciences Research Council and civil society think tanks to develop a tailored, effective mechanism for evidence-based policy transformation in the long term.

The team was received by Matthias Rompel (and team), the GIZ Regional Director for Southern Africa. He shared valuable insights into GIZ’s implementation of advisory services on behalf of the German government, providing a comprehensive overview of GIZ’s global operations and its specific portfolio in Southern Africa. Despite acknowledging the fiscal constraints faced by Germany, Rompel expressed confidence that Southern Africa remains a priority destination for development support. He also affirmed that the work of the SDGI is aligned with GIZ’s priorities, leading to the initiation of the programme review process in preparation for the SDGI’s second phase. The ALLI delegates learned that South Africa is highly esteemed as a “global partner” by GIZ, reflecting its significant role in the G20. Ensuring the effectiveness of this partnership in achieving the SDGI goals is therefore paramount.

The team also participated in a stimulating workshop on multi-stakeholder partnerships led by Klaus Baesel of the Competence Centre for Change Management. This workshop provided deep reflections on our own partnership and the SDGI, and highlighted good practices and critical success factors for multi-stakeholder partnerships that are pertinent to any development partnership.

The UP delegates also met with René Franke (and team), a senior policy advisor to our main donor, BMZ. This meeting was crucial for reassuring us about the continuation of funding, despite Germany’s fiscal challenges. The discussion delved into GIZ’s perspectives on inequality and its intersectionality, with a strong belief that the SDGI represents a positive step forward and should advance to its second phase in 2025.

At BMZ, the team was hosted by Chief Data Scientist Dr Iliya Nickelt (and team). The focus of the working session was on the use of digital tools for policy transformation and improving organisational systems and processes. Additionally, the Policy Innovation Lab at Stellenbosch University presented its new project on service delivery monitoring using citizen data and large language models.

The key takeaway from this session was that digital transformation is a significant enabler for evidence-based policy transformation and sustainable futures. However, there are concerns about the disruptive nature of artificial intelligence and issues related to data integrity and security. Governments face a paradox in balancing rapid digital innovation with the need for established controls to manage risks.

The UP team met Dr Roos and team), subdivision manager for the Research Service. The detailed presentation covered the main themes, knowledge products, and the structures and processes through which the service provides policy advice to parliamentarians. The team identified numerous lessons that could strengthen our Policy Support Initiative model. The Research Service is well resourced, with 70 experts leading various thematic research areas.

ALLI representatives also visited the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), where Dr Marc-Oliver Pahl (and team), Secretary-General of the RNE, hosted us. The council operates similarly to South Africa’s National Planning Commission. A key lesson from this visit was RNE’s success in building strong partnerships with various stakeholders across Germany’s economy, including business, labour, civil society, academia and policymakers. RNE’s approach involves developing research products and codified engagement processes for each stakeholder sector.

The team also had the privilege of meeting with the South African ambassador to Germany, Phumelele Stone Sizani. The engaging meeting provided an opportunity for the ambassador to understand how the SDGs are being implemented in South Africa and explore ways to support the SDGI at a political level. It became evident that substantial work remains in the area of SDG implementation, and that leveraging academic evidence and expertise is crucial to support this process.