The challenges posed by global change processes require concerted responses from the development, research, policy, and practitioners, communities in the global north and south. A means of developing the societally relevant knowledge and holistic understanding necessary to inform such responses is through research partnerships. Research partnerships between the north and south can ensure that context-specific knowledge is generated. Trans-disciplinary research partnerships can help move societies in the south and north towards more sustainable development by establishing links between research, policy, and practice. Research partnerships are a promising path to a sustainable future, but establishing and maintaining them over great distances and cultural boundaries is not without challenges.This book is based on experiences made during a 12-year research programme, the NCCR North-South. It highlights the factors determining the development of capacity in the south to produce knowledge for dealing with global change issues. It describes the programme,s achievements, but also the challenges it faced and its innovative responses to these challenges. In short, this book makes policy recommendations on what it takes to make research partnerships between the north and south successful. As such, it is aimed at funders of research and development interventions, policymakers, development practitioners and researchers themselves.