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The Pulte Institute for Global Development
The Pulte Institute for Global Development
SHARE research has identified food security as a critical 
opportunity for innovation and growth among higher learning 
institutions in middle- and low-income countries.
The HEIGHTS (Higher Education Institutions Generating Holistic 
and Transferable Solutions) Innovation Ecosystems research 
effort in Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines focuses on ways 
to strengthen opportunities for post-secondary formation in 
middle- and low-income countries. Work to inform content 
focus and direction for student learning in and out of the 
classroom at colleges, universities and training centers pointed 
researchers to the issue of food security. Equipped with deeper 
knowledge and skills to support problem-solving that addresses 
hunger, students will be empowered to fight this crisis.
“A lot of these colleges and universities are being pulled in that 
direction, so we talk about possible innovation
Engagement with Local Partners 
Creates Opportunities for Students
Higher Ed “Innovation Ecosystems” Shape 
Problem-Solvers in the Global South
At the heart of SHARE’s work around the world is collaboration 
with researchers and decision-makers in the communities the 
findings are intended to serve. 
“One of the things that’s unique about SHARE is that we put 
our local partners forward as the hands and boots on the 
ground executing and contextualizing this research within the 
communities,” Andrea McMerty-Brummer, associate director of 
innovation and practice for the Pulte Institute, said.
These relationships are foundational to SHARE’s effective 
‘ecosystem engagement,’ an approach that involves local 
partners in every aspect of study design—from prioritizing 
research questions to implementation and the validation of 
findings.
“It’s really about making sure that research is relevant to the 
local stakeholder community, actionable and primed for uptake 
in the local ecosystem,” McMerty-Brummer said.
—and ways to contribute to the innovation space,” Tom 
Purekal, program director for Innovation and Practice for the 
Pulte Institute, said.
The role of higher education, in all its forms, is pivotal to 
unlocking the potential of young people in the low- and 
middle-income countries to address the challenges they 
face. The research conducted by HEIGHTS supports the 
health and relevance of these educational offerings—and 
the institutions that provide them—in the coming decades.
“By 2050, there will be an estimated one billion young 
people in Africa alone. So how do we find opportunities 
for that population to hone their skill sets so they are able 
to become as productive and high capacity as they can?” 
Purekal asked.
33 | 2023-24 Annual Review
Students in Cambodia participate during data collection for the LIBROS 
multi-country study to improve education outcomes by identifying gaps in the 
book supply chain.

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