Cross border partnerships for International Development, do they exist?

The Development's Futures conference provided some, but limited, opportunities to network with development practitioners from north of the border. Maybe calling it networking is stretching it a bit far. I had already met Stephen from the Belfast-based Centre for Global Education on a few earlier occasions and was aware of the great work that centre is doing to promote international development issues. However the only other person I met was Ann who is now based in Galway and had just recently returned from doing some interesting and challenging work in Darfur. I was a bit surprised by the lack of representation from Northern Ireland-based Third Level institutes (TLIs) at the conference or any visible cross border partnerships between TLIs on international development issues. Maybe I just didn't search hard enough or maybe TLIs in the north are more aligned with partners in the UK and with policy from DFID.

One important thing I did learn recently (not at the Development's Futures conference though) was that an All Party Group on International Development has been set-up within the Northern Ireland Executive. I can't find much information about this All Party's mandate and agenda though. So if anyone out there knows what the group is up to and hopes to achieve (and how it is tapping into local expertise) please feel free to share with us. For example, how will the group align itself with international development policy coming from two directions. What are the long-term policies for international development within the NI Executive?

Further I would like to know if there are any plans for NI based universities to link with other counterpart institutions in Ireland to undertake research and capacity building aimed at tackling global poverty. Such partnerships would appear to be an area that Irish Aid would like to support.