Sustainable Development: A Challenge for European Research Brussels May 27 th 2009

The Need for Better Design of Research Projects with CSO Partners

Prof. Marie Harder

Traditional ‘Research Project’ University CSO

Design Of Project

Implementresearch

Analyse results

Interpret results

DisseminateTo peers

?

?

The Underlying Problem…Traditional R&D Model implies researchers:

• are holders of knowledge...• should lead non-research specialists• are analytical • have access to bodies of structured knowledge• are masters of appropriate research tools• best to understand the context of the research• should dominate the funding for research

Which implies…• Research should start with specialists, who can

‘pick up’ non-academic matters

• That all topics can be researched successfully from their R&D base platform

• That CSOs should usually be treated mostly as ‘Objects of Study’

• That in some cases CSOs can help at specific points of research design and implementation

SD implies…different Points of View !

Research…

Can it take into accountthe different

points of view?

Using (True) Consultation…

JOINT solutions!

Joint Solutions??

HOW CAN WE MEASURE IMPACTS OF VALUES ON SD PROJECT SUCCESS ?

Sustainable Development: A Challenge for European Research Brussels May 27 th 2009

Challenging Goal : unchartered territory for academia AND community

Diverse Partners: mix of faith-based and secular CSOs,scientists from several fields ,and a mediator:

•Earth Charter Initiative•People’s Theater•Associations of Religions & Conservation•European Baha’i Business Forum•Arthur Dahl – retired UNEP Deputy-Director = mediator

Integration-Iteration-Multiplication Framework

Revise informationMake decisions

Revise informationMake decisions

Revise informationMake decisions

Revise information

New Community of Interest Knowledge

Uni-versity

CSO

Agree scoping area

Agree joint projectboundaries

Jointly agree new focus

New CSOs

INTEGRATION

ITERATION

MULTIPLICATION

Examples

Some Benefits! • Community knowledge becomes accessible to

researchers - previously unchartered

• The end result is directly and immediately useful

• Overall, a complex problem is now considered from a new (co-developed) point of view, and

• this new point of view is partly owned by society, and resides there as well as with researchers

• a new Community of Interest is formed

– Ready to move forward together

– has a shared vocabulary

Research Benefits! Healthy shifts can occur in the research approach

developed:

• CSO involvement shifts the research away from any traditional academic base- new ground!

• CSO approach does not respect academic disciplinary boundaries, forcing different academics to work together – v. healthy!

• Instead of using established research tools, the CSO focus forces hybridisation of wide range; development of new ones – v. healthy!

Questions?Is the validity of CSO involvement established?

Should (all) SD research incorporate SD processes – like participatory research??

Should CSOs receive funds for their time?

Can CSO work be considered ‘research’ – are they not experts?

Should researchers have an open chance to submit proposals in a wider SD context?

When SD works in Brighton….