Foreign Office advisory role for governance expert

A government advisory group supporting the UK's international development research priorities has appointed a University of Reading academic specialising in governance, conflict and security.

Professor Dominik Zaum will co-chair the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Research Advisory Group alongside Professor AbuBakr Bahaj from the University of Southampton.

Established in 2022, the Research Advisory Group provides strategic guidance to support UK government international development objectives, generating solutions to major global challenges through research.

The group comprises internationally-recognised academic experts in global health, energy, climate, agriculture, international relations and economics. As co-chair, Professor Zaum will support FCDO research and development investment prioritisation and help inform the department's approach to research commissioning.

This work is particularly significant given the FCDO's substantial commitment to international development, with approximately £9.5 billion spent on Official Development Assistance in 2024.

"I am delighted to have been appointed as Co-Chair of the FCDO Research Advisory Group," said Professor Zaum.

"I look forward to working with this fantastic international group of experts to support the FCDO in using science, research and evidence to enhance its development and diplomatic work."

The University of Reading has strong representation on the thirteen-member Research Advisory Group, with Professor Nigel Arnell, a climate scientist in the Department of Meteorology, also serving as a member.

Global development leadership

Professor Zaum's appointment demonstrates the University of Reading's leadership in global development research.

The University has a thriving community of researchers across the institution working to tackle global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, conflict and justice.

Reading is ranked joint 50th in THE Global Impact Rankings 2025, and makes wide-ranging contributions to support progress towards the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Reading’s Global Development research division ranked fourth in the UK for impact in REF2021.

Some of the University's most impactful projects demonstrate this commitment in action:

• TAMSAT, a satellite-based rainfall estimation and drought forecasting system developed at Reading, is enabling new approaches to drought risk management for millions of vulnerable people in sub-Saharan Africa.
• In conflict-affected regions, the INFLOW project provides flood forecasting research for the Nile River in Uganda and South Sudan as part of the FCDO-funded Climate Adaptation and Resilience programme.
• In agricultural development, Reading researchers are making significant contributions to sustainable farming practices. Through the Zero-Budget Natural Farming initiative, academics are working with partners in Andhra Pradesh, India, to enhance smallholder farmers' resilience to climate change while increasing their income and improving food security.
• Cocoa production in Ghana has been made more sustainable through research co-developed by Reading crop and soil scientists, resulting in improved soil health and greater yields.