Development Policy Centre

What Development Policy Centre does

The Development Policy Centre (Devpol) is an academic think tank established in September 2010 and hosted within the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University in Canberra. It conducts independent research across five programs covering Australian aid effectiveness, Papua New Guinea development, the broader Pacific research agenda, Pacific migration (including remittances and labour mobility), and global development policy. Its core outputs are research publications (discussion papers, policy briefs, reports, submissions), the Devpolicy Blog, the Devpolicy Talks podcast, a regular newsletter, and a portfolio of events including the annual Australasian AID Conference, Mitchell Orations, PNG Update, and Pacific Update.

Devpol's business model is non-commercial. Publications and content are distributed free of charge via the devpolicy.org site, with no pricing or licensing revenue. Operations are funded through institutional hosting by ANU's Crawford School plus partner funding, principally from the PNG-Aus Partnership supporting the ANU-UPNG Partnership. It serves a narrow stakeholder base — Australian Government aid agencies, the Papua New Guinea Government, Pacific Island Governments, and the broader global development community of researchers and practitioners — reached through digital channels, social media, podcasts, and in-person convening.

The centre's leadership is anchored by Director Stephen Howes, supported by a small program team and a wider network of Centre Associates, graduate students, and interns based in Canberra and the Pacific region. Its most material recent strategic activity is the April 2026 launch of Phase 3 of the ANU-UPNG Partnership with the University of Papua New Guinea's School of Business and Public Policy, held at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby.

Name

Development Policy Centre

Legal name

Development Policy Centre

Website

https://devpolicy.anu.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Development Policy Centre is an ANU Crawford School think tank that produces independent research on Australian aid, Papua New Guinea development, Pacific migration, and global development policy for government agencies and policymakers in Australia and the Pacific region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Development aid analysis
• Pacific studies research
• Public policy think tank
• Foreign aid effectiveness

Headquarters

HQ city

Acton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: The centre operates as part of the Australian National University Crawford School of Public Policy and receives institutional funding from ANU and partner organizations including the PNG-Aus Partnership for specific programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Development Policy Centre produces independent policy research and analysis on Australian foreign aid effectiveness, Papua New Guinea development, Pacific island region issues, Pacific migration, and global development policy. Its research outputs include discussion papers, policy briefs, reports, and submissions, which are disseminated through the Devpolicy Blog, the Devpolicy Talks podcast, the Devpol Newsletter, and annual events such as the Australasian AID Conference, PNG Update, Pacific Update, and Mitchell Orations. The centre operates as the research arm of ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy and partners with the University of Papua New Guinea through the ANU-UPNG Partnership.

Product overview

The Development Policy Centre is a think tank that offers a portfolio of research and knowledge dissemination products rather than a unified software platform. Its core offerings include the Devpolicy Blog for analysis and debate, a publications program producing discussion papers and policy briefs, the Devpolicy Talks podcast, and regular events including the annual Australasian AID Conference. These are supported by five research programs covering Australian aid, PNG development, Pacific research, Pacific migration, and global development policy. The centre serves as a hub connecting researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners across the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Australian Aid Research Program Ongoing research and analysis programme on the effectiveness and impact of Australian foreign aid, producing discussion papers, policy briefs, and reports for government and the development community.
• PNG Project Research initiative focused on Papua New Guinea development policy, conducted in partnership with the University of Papua New Guinea through the ANU-UPNG Partnership.
• Pacific Research Program Research programme investigating Pacific island development issues and policy responses across the Pacific region.
• Pacific Migration Research Research on Pacific migration patterns, including remittances, labour mobility schemes, and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.
• Global Development Policy Research Research contributing to better global development policy through independent analysis, including topics such as China-Global South relations.
• Devpolicy Blog Daily blog platform providing analysis, commentary, and debate on aid and development policy topics affecting Australia, the Pacific region, and global development. Open access to the public.
• Devpolicy Talks Podcast Podcast series featuring discussions on aid, development, and Pacific policy topics, distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Simplecast.
• Devpol Newsletter Regular email newsletter providing updates on research, publications, events, and commentary on development policy issues.
• Publications Directory Catalogue of research outputs including discussion papers, policy briefs, reports, and submissions, hosted on the Devpolicy Blog site for open access.
• Australasian AID Conference Annual conference bringing together aid and development practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. The 2026 conference is scheduled for 2-4 December with a call for papers open until 21 August.
• Seasonal Worker Programs Research Project Completed research project comparing and contrasting seasonal worker programs in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and other countries, with four papers published in the journal Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ANU-UPNG PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Three-phase partnership between ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy and the University of Papua New Guinea's School of Business and Public Policy. Phase 3 launched in April 2026 with support from the PNG-Aus Partnership. The launch was held at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, addressed by High Commissioner Ewen McDonald and UPNG Vice Chancellor Ian Findlay.
• Crawford School of Public PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevpol is based at and part of the Crawford School of Public Policy within the ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy. The school provides institutional hosting and administrative support.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Center for Global Development: Independent think tank producing policy research on international development, aid effectiveness, and economic growth. Closely comparable to Devpol in mission, research output style, and target audience of donor agencies and policymakers.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): UK-based independent think tank focused on international development and humanitarian policy. Comparable to Devpol as a research-driven policy advisory organisation producing discussion papers, policy briefs, and events on aid and development.
• Lowy Institute: Australia-based international policy think tank producing independent research on the Indo-Pacific, foreign aid, and global development. Directly comparable to Devpol as a fellow Sydney/Canberra-based source of independent analysis on Australian aid effectiveness and Pacific policy.
• Institute for Development Studies (IDS): Global research and learning organisation for international development, based at the University of Sussex. Closely comparable to Devpol as a university-affiliated research centre producing development policy research, publications, and events.

Emerging players

• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): Research institute producing policy analysis on food security, agriculture, and development. Partially comparable to Devpol as a development-focused research outfit that publishes peer-reviewed work and engages with donor agencies.

Others

• Devpolicy Blog / Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU: Host institution and parent structure providing Devpol's institutional base, administrative support, and academic positioning. Included as the umbrella body that delivers Devpol's academic credibility and ANU affiliation.
• Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat: Regional intergovernmental organisation facilitating policy coordination among Pacific Island states. Connected to Devpol as a key stakeholder on Pacific policy and a potential partner or audience for its research outputs on Pacific development.

Regional players

• Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI): Australia-based think tank producing policy research on strategic and international policy issues including the Indo-Pacific. Comparable to Devpol as a fellow Australian policy research organisation, though ASPI leans more toward security and defence.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Large US-based policy research organisation with significant global development and foreign policy programs. Comparable to Devpol in academic rigour and policy focus, but operates at much greater scale and across a broader set of issue areas.
• Chatham House: International affairs think tank based in London with research spanning global development, geopolitics, and Pacific issues. Comparable to Devpol in its independent research and convening function, though operating globally rather than with a Pacific regional focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/devpolicy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@devpolicy
• Facebookfacebook.com/devpolicy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-policy-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/devpolicy.blog

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Development Policy Centre