Political Economy Analysis Training for Research Ireland

The Policy Practice has been commissioned by Research Ireland to deliver a tailored training workshop on applied Political Economy Analysis (PEA) for teams participating in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Challenge programme. The Challenge brings together six international research teams, including those working in Laos, Palestine and Vietnam, to develop innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects addressing SDG2: Zero Hunger.

To support these efforts, TPP will run a half-day online workshop in September 2025 for up to 24 team members. The training will introduce the core concepts, frameworks and tools of PEA, and demonstrate how they can be applied to design and implement politically smart research interventions.

The workshop will be led by Neil McCulloch, TPP Director and experienced development economist, with facilitation by Samantha Wade, TPP Principal and training coordinator. It will combine preparatory materials, interactive group work and practical exercises, ensuring participants can link PEA concepts to their specific country contexts.