There have been repeated calls for greater attention to be paid to research in small island developing states (SIDS) including the Caribbean.
But what happens after research has been conducted, the findings presented and the research paper published? For many island states,these are perhaps the most important questions that should be asked about the researchundertaken.
My participation in a research workshop at The University of the West Indies, (UWI) St Augustine campus on August 27 - 28, 2026, together with awareness of ongoing conversations around research, economic resilience, innovation and sustainability, prompted my reflection on the role research plays in national and regional development.
Caribbean researchers have for decades produced valuable research. However, a fundamental question over the years has been whether the region has been sufficiently effective at turning knowledge from research into impact. In an environment of rapid technological change, climate vulnerability, and economic volatility, small states cannot afford to view research as academic luxury. Instead, research must be seen as an asset for strategic development.
The research output and development outcome relationship
Academic publications, conference presentations, citations, and academic recognition continue to be key indicators of academic success and the means through which research is assessed.
While these are useful indicators, the real developmental value of research emerges when the knowledge gained from research solves a problem, influences a decision, changes a business practice, informs public policy, leads to innovation, strengthens an institution or improves the lives of citizens. This is the essence of the societal value and positive impact of research. As capital continues to be channelled into research, there is need to distinguish between research output and research impact.
A research paper is an output. A new policy informed by that research is an outcome. A new business created from the knowledge is an outcome. A more productive small and medium enterprises (SME) sector, a better-trained workforce, a more effective public institution or a more resilient community are examples of research impact.
Beyond the creation of knowledge: Journey towards impact
Extracting value from research, beyond the knowledge created is important for the Caribbean. Small states cannot afford significant amounts of knowledge to remain disconnected from practice. In an environment of limited resources, investment in research must contribute to building the Caribbean’s capacity to better understand the challenges faced and to address these holistically.
While all research is not expected to have a commercial application in the short run, research agendas should be aligned to addressing national and regional developmental questions, examples of which follow:
• How to diversify beyond reliance on a narrow range of traditional products and services?
• How to address social ills which stymie development e.g. crime?
• How to improve productivity and competitiveness?
• How can entrepreneurial ecosystems be strengthened?
• How can the workforce be prepared for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies?
• How can leaders be equipped to lead during uncertainty?
• How to build climate and economic resilience?
• How can knowledge and creativity be transformed into globally competitive products and services?
Is Caribbean research getting a boost?
There are encouraging signs that the Caribbean research environment is being strengthened.
At UWI St Augustine, for example, the Research and Development Impact Fund was designed to support high-impact interdisciplinary research. The August 2026 announcement of the award of approximately US$1.5MM to eleven high-impact projects demonstrates a commitment to research that extends beyond knowledge generation towards real-world impact.
A review of the websites of UWI together with desk review undertaken by this author provides practical examples of what can happen when research is connected to enterprise.
Reference is made to Trinidad and Tobago’s cocoa industry. Research undertaken over decades by UWI’s Cocoa Research Centre is now more deliberately connected to value-added production and commercialisation. The development of the SPIRITT premium chocolate brand, its positioning in 2025 as a commercial brand backed by UWI and the Cocoa Research Centre, and the establishment of a commercial chocolate factory, illustrate progression from scientific knowledge and research capability towards commercialisation and higher-value opportunities within the cocoa value chain.
Jamaica provides another indication of emerging research momentum. At UWI’s Mona Campus, research is increasingly being supported through targeted investment, external partnerships and mechanisms for commercialisation.
Earlier this year, the Faculty of Medical Sciences launched a Research Support Fund backed by J$30 million from Jamaica’s National Health Fund, alongside support from private-sector partners. The focus is on strengthening opportunities for early-career researchers and students.
The aforementioned examples demonstrate that research is effective when there is collaboration. While many societal problems are connected to problems beyond the university, they have a significant role to play in addressing the challenges by creating knowledge. Universities, however, cannot close the research to impact gap alone.
The role of the pracademic
Is there a role for the pracademic in the research ecosystem? The pracademic operates at the intersection of academic knowledge and professional practice. This position creates an opportunity to translate theory into practice and, equally important, an opportunity to take practical problems back into the research environment.
The Caribbean needs researchers who understand the realities faced by businesses and policymakers, and business leaders who value evidence from research and are willing to engage with researchers. Policymakers too, must see research as an investment rather than a completed report that does not require action. The pracademic is well-placed to understand the virtuous cycle of research for impact. Pracademics intimate understanding of practice, contributes to new questions for research, thereby making the research ecosystem both continuous and developmental.
Conclusion
The future of research in small island states cannot simply be about producing more knowledge. It is about moving beyond what is known due to research undertaken, to what can be done with the knowledge. It must be about making knowledge work for better decisions, stronger institutions, more innovative enterprises, greater resilience and improved quality of life.
Given that metrics matter, greater emphasis must be placed on measuring the impact of research at the micro and macro levels.
Research achieves its greatest value not when knowledge is simply published, but when knowledge becomes action, and action creates impact.
Dr Judith M S Mark is a business strategy consultant, educator, academic coach and advocate for innovation-driven leadership. Contact her atl: judithmmark@gmail.com
