The Association of Commonwealth Universities Equitable Research Partnerships toolkit focuses on improving partnership sustainability through equity, power-awareness, and shared practice. It is particularly useful for collaborations that span institutions, countries, or community/NGO contexts, where differences in voice, credit, resourcing, and decision rights can quietly undermine success. It can help you design how to:
- Diagnose partnership risks and power imbalances early
- Improve governance, accountability, and shared decision-making
- Surface common friction points (credit, resourcing, ownership, expectations) before they escalate
- Strengthen trust and sustainability over time
“Networks matter, but relationships matter more than visibility.”
Martina Egedusevic, Impact Fellow, University of Exeter. Read more from Martina.
What will you take forward?
One thing to consider: Where does power sit in your partnership (funding, agenda-setting, authorship, data), and what one change would make decision-making more equitable?
Related Resouces
See all Established Researcher resources
Be strategic with your time investment – set triaging criteria
Set simple rules to make it easier to decide what to say yes or no to.
Use practical tools to engage with policy audiences and processes effectively
Develop a more intentional and realistic approach to policy engagement and influence.
Explore tailored research leadership resources
A gateway to high-quality HE specific leadership resources, so you don’t have to sift through irrelevant advice.
Create a Gantt Chart – even if it’s imperfect and you only do it once!
Use a simple visual timeline to clarify pressure points, dependencies, and realistic capacity.
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The White Rose University Consortium actively engages with institutional, regional and national partners to propel positive change and create sustained impact for individuals, communities, and the region.
