Development Partner Involvement in Policy Lab Creation Analyzed Through Brazil’s “MindLab Project”

Abstract

This study analyzed a pioneer and exemplary case of establishing a policy lab by a technical cooperation with a development partner, more traditionally called a donor, and illuminated a fundamental trigger point that could aid such partner’s decision making on the involvement. The referenced case was Brazil’s “MindLab project” that created GNova with the support of Denmark’s MindLab. The study found that the success of the project was led by (1) well aligned expectations of the stakeholders concerned that contributed to focusing on design-led experiments, and (2) agile process that allowed a full range of adjustments fitted within the original time frame. The study shed light that technical cooperation driven policy lab creation needs to check on the contextual maturity for democratic governance as a laying ground. Meaningful technical cooperation in the line of policy lab creation is thus premised not on the economic power of the development partner as an Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) provider but on if the partner is versed in democratic governance. The referenced case indicated that it would be best if the development partner possesses the demonstrable track record in democratic governance that they can showcase in guiding the support recipient. (196 words)   Received: 4 January 2024 / Accepted: 29 February 2024 / Published: xx March 2024