Practical Tips for Conducting Research in Fragile Contexts
Meaningful, ethical and impactful research depends on working equitably with local partners - whether institutions, organisations, or individuals. However, university processes are often designed for stable contexts and can become misaligned or exclusionary in low‑income or crisis‑affected settings. These misalignments may delay projects, increase administrative burden, create financial risk, or deter valuable partnerships.
Information on this page shares advice and insights for navigating the practical challenges of working in fragile contexts. The information provided here was developed during the "What Works - Knowledge Sharing Workshop" hosted by the University of Glasgow in June 2026. If you have suggestions for additional information that could be added to this page, please contact us.
Financial Processes
Financial processes at the University of Glasgow are well-aligned for the majority of work conducted by members of our research community. However, when working in fragile or hostile environments, flexibility is critical and it can seem like university processes not well-designed for working contextually-appropriate (and sometimes safe) ways. The mechanisms and contacts listed here are key enablers to support more flexible ways of working when operating in fragile contexts:
Student Expenses
For students working in fragile contexts, potentially for extended periods of time, accessing funding to support daily research expenses can be challenging. However, it is possible to arrange payments directly to students through MyCampus, provided appropriate mechanisms are put in place to maintain records of expenditure.
LMIC Visitor Expenses
Our normal procedures for visitor expenses require visitors to pay costs up front and claim back. However, we recognize that this may not be possible for visitors from Low- and Middle- Income Countries. In this specific instance, it is possible for a UofG staff member to cover costs for visitors, or to "buy" receipts for costs incurred and for that staff member to claim those costs back through normal UofG staff expenses processes.
Paying Individuals
In fragile contexts, research often relies on local colleagues who may not be affiliated with an institution. It is necessary to pay them directly. If a payment will only happen once, s undry payment is the appropriate mechanism, while regular collaborators can be set up as a supplier on our systems. It is possible to do this even if the individual does not have a bank account of their own.
Communications
When working in fragile contexts, connectivity across teams can be challenging. Often the expectations around availability and people's level of comfort with using their personal devices for work can create tension. There are options available for UofG colleagues to support team connectivity while maintaining personal boundaries regarding availbility and incurring personal costs:
SIM Cards
You can request a work handset, SIM or both (if your current phone is dual-SIM, you may not need a handset). You will need a sub-project code to charge the price of the SIM, and then can set up a WhatsApp Business account associated to the work SIM Card and download WhatsApp Business on your phone and your work computer, which will allow you to keep your personal WhatsApp related to your own phone number, and your work WhatsApp related to your new work number.
Visit the Helpdesk Menu and select "Phones: Help and Changes" to request a work SIM.
Roaming Charges
Researchers working in fragile contexts often travel to other countries and may incur mobile roaming charges to maintain connectivity. You can request a roaming bundle when travelling to other countries for university business.
Visit the Helpdesk Menu and select "Phones: Mobile roaming" to request a work SIM.
Safety and Security
Fragile environments may pose a high degree of risk to researchers, and specialized training, insurance and support may be needed. There are teams and resources available to support colleagues working in fragile environments:
UofG Security Team
The University of Glasgow Security Team is available to support colleagues planning activities in fragile contexts. They can provide specialist briefings on potential risks and mitigation strategies tailored to the location, provide advice on risk assessments and suggest options for more specialized training if appropriate (e.g. off-road driving, first aid for trauma).
SafeZone App
A must have for every member of staff and student at UofG, the SafeZone App is an app that is monitored 24 hours a day by the Campus Security team ensuring the safety and security of our staff and students. For UofG staff and students working in fragile contexts, the SafeZone App keeps you connected and offers check-in options to ensure you have support if you need it.