Capacity Development Initiative
Getting Ready for International Collaboration – Publicly Funded Research Projects
The WAITRO Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) “Getting Ready for International Collaboration – Publicly Funded Research Projects”, was designed to strengthen the capacities of researchers and research managers to successfully access, secure and manage international publicly funded research projects. The initiative delivered within seven months a comprehensive digital training series to WAITRO members and partners, comprising 15 online sessions which were delivered by 25 experts from 11 countries.
Module Overview
The CDI webinar series covered the key stages of the international research funding cycle, providing participants with practical knowledge and tools to identify funding opportunities, build strong international consortia, develop competitive proposals, manage funded projects, and maximize research impact. Through expert presentations, interactive discussions, and practical insights, the programme offered guidance on the opportunities and challenges of international research collaboration.
Interested in learning more? Download the complete module overview below to explore the sessions, speakers, and learning formats that made up the CDI webinar series.
Speakers from Internationally Renowned Organizations
Global Participation
The CDI webinar series attracted a diverse and highly engaged audience from across the global WAITRO network, demonstrating the broad international reach of the initiative. As illustrated in the chart, participants joined from all major world regions, with the strongest representation coming from the Middle East and North Africa, followed by Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
This diverse regional participation created valuable opportunities for cross-border knowledge exchange, peer learning, and international networking among research and innovation organizations. To ensure that the benefits of the series extended beyond the live sessions, WAITRO made all webinar recordings and presentation materials available to participants, supporting continued learning and long-term capacity development. Active participants also received official WAITRO Attendance Certificates, recognizing their commitment to professional development, knowledge sharing, and international collaboration.
Voices from the Global Audience
„Through the modules, I have learned a great deal, particularly about building strong consortia and developing proposals, and I increasingly feel that I belong in this space […]. I am making meaningful progress and am so, so grateful for this opportunity.“
“WAITRO is a great platform for the transfer of ideas. We definitely need to learn more from each other and, this is what WAITRO, besides many other things, can do. That’s a very important role: A facilitator role.”
“Thank you for this amazing capacity building initiative. I truly enjoyed every webinar I was able to attend and gained a wealth of valuable knowledge that will be useful to me.”
“Just wanted to mention that the training sessions this week were very appreciated by my colleagues – they were very impressed and much useful information was shared.”
A Demand-Driven Approach
This initiative was built on a clear understanding of the capacity gaps within the WAITRO network. Informed by a comprehensive Needs Assessment Survey conducted in April 2025, WAITRO Operations e.V. co-designed targeted training modules with global experts. Working closely with experienced professionals from our member organizations, we have developed tailored content that addressed the most pressing challenges for researchers. The modules were delivered through a focused webinar series from September 2025 till March 2026 bringing practical support directly where it was needed most.
Alina Brangs
Program Manager Capacity Development
WAITRO Office Germany
Franziska Schuhenn
Junior Officer Communication
WAITRO Office Germany
