IDIA’s Global Innovation Advisors

Global Innovation Advisors collaborate with IDIA members in a range of ways, including providing lived experience perspectives on complex development challenges; contributing contextual knowledge around innovation needs and priorities within specific sectors populations, countries and regions; leading targeted pieces of research / community consultation; co-creating tools and resources to enable more equitable innovation partnerships; supporting the design and execution of online and in-person events; and mobilising their expertise to provide technical input, management or governance across IDIA activities aligned with their interests and experience.

Two GIA Co-Chairs (drawn from the GIA membership) provide oversight across the community and work closely with IDIA to shape and grow opportunities for engagement within IDIA strategy and activities. The current GIA Co-Chairs are:

• Gordon Adomdza, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Professor at Ashesi University, Ghana

• Onike Shorunkeh-Sawyerr, GIZ Advisor to the African Union on Labour Migration and Free Movement, Ethiopia.

As part of the integration and expansion of the GIA model, IDIA has committed to providing appropriate compensation for GIA’s time and input. Depending on the nature of their engagement, GIAs will be compensated at two different tiers, separate and additional to the costs of any travel that may be required: 

Tier 1: IDIA meeting participation ($250 USD/day)  

Tier 2: IDIA activity design / implementation ($500 USD/day)

Feedback from the initial cohort of GIAs has shown the value of this relationship for both parties in terms of providing opportunities for network expansion and collaborative learning. GIAs also reported that the formal association with IDIA has also helped to advance their own work and objectives around innovation.

About the GIA Role