RAND Europe was commissioned by Royal Academy of Engineering to conduct an independent evaluation of the Frontiers programme. The evaluation assessed the programme's contributions, its added value and role in the wider ecosystem using a theory-based evaluation approach. The project team developed a Frontiers programme Theory of Change, a set of evaluation questions and a wider evaluation framework structured around the four programme strands.

Evaluation of the Frontiers programme

Final evaluation report

Susan Guthrie, Devika Kapoor, Michelle Qu, Ishmeala Rigby, Saoirse Moriarty, Ishita Puri

ResearchPublished Dec 16, 2024

Cover: Evaluation of the Frontiers programme
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The Royal Academy of Engineering's Frontiers programme aims to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking among researchers, innovators and practitioners from around the world to address complex global challenges. The Frontiers design is a unique funding model comprised of four interrelated strands: Frontiers symposia, which bring together international early- and mid-career researchers across disciplines and sectors to discuss global challenges; seed funding, which enables ideas and collaborations from the symposia to be developed further; follow-on funding to advance work established in the seed-funded projects; and Champions awards, which are networking grants available to symposia participants. As of July 2024, the Frontiers programme has held 23 symposia in 12 countries and online since its launch in 2016, connecting more than 1,000 participants from 63 countries around the world.

RAND Europe was commissioned by the Academy to conduct an independent evaluation of the Frontiers programme. The evaluation assessed the programme's contributions, its added value and role in the wider ecosystem using a theory-based evaluation approach. To achieve the evaluation's aims, the project team developed a Frontiers programme Theory of Change, a set of evaluation questions and a wider evaluation framework structured around the four programme strands.

Evaluation findings highlight that Frontiers is a unique offering in the research for development landscape that addresses a key challenge. The programme is entirely focused on providing a forum for collaboration and development of new and creative ideas to address global challenges, with funding invested directly in ideation, development of cross-disciplinary collaborations, and seed funding, to test out new and creative ideas and approaches. The Frontiers programme explicitly targets early- and mid-career researchers and can provide a stepping stone for these researchers — particularly those from resource-poor settings — towards an independent research career.

Several aspects of the programme, particularly the inclusive design of the symposia and provision of resources and funds for people to attend, are exemplary. Consideration of equity and fairness is robust, and events are well designed, well delivered and smoothly run. Challenges around funding to international collaborators, and other areas for improvement, are highlighted in the evaluation recommendations.

Key Findings

  • Frontiers symposia are well organised, address key issues, and include participants from a range of disciplines and sectors, and of diverse nationalities and genders. The events engage, and provide opportunities for, early-career researchers (ECRs), including those new to development research.
  • Funded seed and follow-on projects have been aligned with addressing global developmental challenges and demonstrated impacts in varied ways. Funded projects and teams have been interdisciplinary and have approached problems from a diverse, socio-technical lens.
  • Networks created through Champions have engaged grassroot organisations, local governments, community stakeholders and relevant end users across their activities.
  • The programme is well aligned with international best practice and is relatively unique in the international development research landscape.

Recommendations

  • Building on existing data-collection processes, the Academy should collect data on key metrics aligned with Frontiers' Theory of Change that can be used to check programme progress and inform refinements and improvements to ensure all activities are delivering as expected.
  • Follow-up events, perhaps one-year post-symposium, would be an opportunity to share seed funding outcomes, build and maintain connections, and support the sustainability of collaborations and networks developed. These events could be virtual sessions or self-organised by smaller, regional groups of researchers, fostering south-south collaboration and ownership. More generally, it would be useful to actively consider the trade-offs between providing more support to existing alumni and opportunities for more people, and whether any policies are needed to restrict repeat funding.
  • Involving early-career researchers in the design and delivery of symposia could be another way for Frontiers to support their career development and offer opportunities. These individuals could be sourced through the alumni network to ensure they have sufficient understanding of the Frontiers programme.

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Guthrie, Susan, Devika Kapoor, Michelle Qu, Ishmeala Rigby, Saoirse Moriarty, and Ishita Puri, Evaluation of the Frontiers programme: Final evaluation report. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3285-1.html.
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The research described in this report was commissioned by the Royal Academy of Engineering and conducted by RAND Europe.

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