Institute of Development Research

What sets us apart?

We see development as change. Our inter- and transdisciplinary work focuses on the structural drivers of inequality, conflict, and ecological crises and processes of change at the local, regional, national, and international level. We lay the groundwork for evidence-based strategies aimed at a good life for all.
Transformation

Current global crises call for socio-ecological and societal transformation. Beyond technological innovations, we need to fundamentally rethink the way we relate to our ecosystems and to each other.
Dialogue

We bring together actors across sectors, regions and disciplines, in order to achieve a transition towards sustainability.
Transdisciplinary Methods

We develop and test transdisciplinary methods that connect knowledge systems and support knowledge co-creation with societal actors.
Transformative Learning

Together with students, academic and civil society actors, we use co-learning to understand specific contexts and identify leverage points for change.
Gender and Intersectionality

We apply intersectional and feminist approaches to uncover different dimensions and scales of inequality and discrimination.
Partnerships

We foster strong partnerships in academia and beyond.

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SWIFT Policy dialogue hosted by IDR for a gender-transformative Common Agricultural Policy

Farmers, policy-makers, academics, and civil society representatives met at BOKU University on May 8, 2025 to discuss opportunities and challenges regarding gender equality in agriculture and to formulate policy recommendations.

Exhibition: Alerta Amazônia – when fabrics speak

An exhibition at BOKU presented an extraordinary collection of textile artworks deeply rooted in the social and ecological realities of the Amazon region. Under the title “Alerta Amazônia – When Fabric Speaks”, women of the Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens (MAB) use arpilleras tell their stories of resistance and resilience.

Artistic perspectives on a climate-social city

In light of the climate crisis and growing social inequality, the exhibition "climate-social city" presents 15 artistic perspectives on a climate-just society. From April 3 to 30, 2025, the artworks will be displayed at public locations and in shop windows throughout the city center of Linz.

Building solidarities and alliances between degrowth and food sovereignty movements

Various movements worldwide are resisting the hegemony of capitalism and growth-driven economics, which harm both people and the environment while undermining democracy. Michaela Pixová and Christina Plank from the IDR recently published a paper in the Journal of Political Ecology special section on Post-Growth Food Systems, which delves into the potential for alliances between degrowth and food sovereignty movements.

[Translate to English:] © Stefanie Lemke

About us

Working with actors from science, practice, civil society, policy and the private sector we co-create andmobilise scientific knowledge for sustainable development.

We engage in research with partners, among other regions in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe, and facilitate transformation processes towards sustainable food systems as well as sustainable management and governance of natural resources.

IDR integrates competence in development research and global cooperation at BOKU, among others by coordinating the BOKU-Cluster for Development Research. We are active in international networks such as Agrinatura, the AfricaUniNet as well as the Alliance of Sustainable Universities in Austria.

Our approaches are transdisciplinary, participatory, gender-transformative, intersectional, human rights-based and political-ecological.

We work on the following closely interlinked thematic areas: