University of Toronto's Reach Alliance expands its network by partnering with academic institutions in Africa, Asia and Australia

Global initiative brings together researchers and practitioners from across disciplines and around the world to accelerate the achievement of the UNs' Sustainable Development Goals

SINGAPORE, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Reach Alliance announces partnerships with four leading universities, including the University of Cape Town (South Africa), Ashesi University (Ghana), Singapore Management University (Singapore) and the University of Melbourne (Australia). This scale up sees the Alliance grow from four to eight major global universities, with original partners including the University of Toronto (Canada), Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), University College London (UK), and the University of Oxford (UK).  

Founded at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the Reach Alliance is a student-driven, faculty-mentored global research and leadership initiative investigating how critical interventions and innovations reach those who are the hardest to reach. The Alliance then partners with cross-sectoral organisations to translate actionable research insights for impact.  

"The work of the Reach Alliance can only be done by strengthening international partnerships to achieve global reach," says Marin MacLeod, Executive Director at the Reach Alliance. 

"The Reach Alliance enables a global network of partner universities to collaborate on research and develop interdisciplinary solutions", says Professor Elvin Lim, Dean, College of Integrative Studies, Singapore Management University. "Through student research and faculty mentorship drawn from the Alliance, we aim to deepen our engagement with the city and to create meaningful impact for communities around the world."

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Town, comments "the Reach Alliance is a brilliant concept that aligns closely with the mission of the University: to ensure that our research meets the needs of even the most marginalized communities in Africa, that it has real impact, and that we produce the leaders of tomorrow who are committed to social justice."

Sentiments shared by Ashesi University's Provost, Professor Angela Owusu-Ansah, "engaging students in research of the lived experiences of marginalized groups is likely to amplify students' ethical, entrepreneurial, and critical thinking; their concern for others and the courage to act for change."

Scaling to universities in Africa, Asia and Australia will expand the scope and depth of Reach research, enhance the student researcher and faculty experience and accelerate the production of actionable insights about some of the world's most complex development issues.  

Professor Adrian Little, Pro Vice Chancellor (International), University of Melbourne highlights the university's social mission as a key reason for joining the Alliance, "by engaging with the Reach Alliance, we can tackle problems within Australia and in the wider Asia-Pacific region in collaboration with an outstanding group of university partners."

To date, the Reach Alliance has published 30 case studies spanning 20 countries. Actionable research insights have informed practitioners and policymakers – accelerating achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and establishing the next generation of global leaders. Reach findings have been published in leading outlets, such as The Lancet, Stanford Social Innovation Review, WHO Bulletin, and BMJ Global Health. 

"We are thrilled to welcome these leading university partners to the Alliance and to learn from their unique and diverse perspectives. Their faculty and students will make a tremendous contribution to our global network of experts on how to reach the hardest to reach," says MacLeod.  

About the Reach Alliance  

Founded at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Reach recruits students across global universities – equipping the next generation of leaders to conduct research, produce actionable insights – and catalyzes impact through institutional partners. Learn more at www.reachalliance.org