Bringing together tax practitioners, researchers, economists, and civil society professionals from low-income countries, this year’s in-person module of the Research on Tax and Development course has just concluded in Kigali, Rwanda. These sessions wrapped up ICTD’s flagship capacity-building programme, which equips early- and mid-career professionals with the tools to design, conduct, and communicate high-quality research on tax and development.
The one-week training gathered over 20 participants, primarily from Africa but also from Latin America. This marks the final component of the current course cycle, which will formally conclude in December 2025, when participants submit their final research proposals.
Delivered by ICTD’s experts who have accompanied participants over the past nine months, the final module focused on drafting a research output, navigating the publication process, and research ethics, while encouraging peer learning and collaboration across regions. Participants shared experiences from diverse tax systems, creating a space for mutual learning and reflection on the challenges of research and taxation in developing economies. The week ended with participants presenting their draft research proposals and collecting feedback from their peers and course facilitators.
“The course has been transformative,” said Faith Duza-Gaza Hassan, a participant from the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service in Nigeria. “It helped me develop the skills to design meaningful research that is not only practical, but also accessible and easy to understand, ensuring it achieves its intended impact.”
Dr. Giovanni Occhiali, co-lead for Teaching and Learning at ICTD said “It’s always inspiring to see participants bring their professional experience into these sessions. By the end of the week, you can really see how their research questions evolve into projects with genuine potential for impact.”
For her part, Dr. Jalia Kangave, Lead Consultant for ICTD’s research programme on Gender and Taxation, emphasised the broader purpose of the course: “This course is at the heart of ICTD’s mission to strengthen locally led research on taxation. Participants are not only honing their research skills; but they’re also joining a growing community of tax researchers committed to making tax systems fairer and more effective.”
The module also included sessions on research dissemination and uptake, led by ICTD’s Communications Officer Stephanie Alkoussa, which explored strategies for sharing findings with key audiences and explored emerging trends such as the use of generative AI.
“Producing strong research is only part of the journey,” she said. “We want participants to think critically about how to communicate their evidence so it can inform real policy debates and drive meaningful change.”
Driving impact for over a decade
Since its launch in 2015, ICTD’s Research on Tax and Development course has trained over one hundred professionals. Some of them have since built lasting relationships with ICTD and others contributed to major reforms in their home countries.
The next edition of the course will commence in January 2026, continuing ICTD’s commitment to nurturing another generation of researchers advancing equitable and effective taxation systems.