Training course launched to support LWEC's new Knowledge
Exchange Guidelines
15th November 2012
A new training course is being launched this week with support
from Living With Environmental Change (LWEC). The training is based
on new Knowledge Exchange
Guidelines that were launched by the LWEC partnership at their
Annual Assembly in Birmingham this month. The courses are for
anyone who wants to learn how to work collaboratively with those
who are likely to use their research to achieve greater impact.
To achieve this, researchers need to invest time, skills and
effort in effective knowledge exchange, where learning from those
who will use their research is as important as sharing their
research findings. This includes facilitating a process of
participation, dialogue, and mutual learning with stakeholders and
research users from the earliest opportunity and throughout the
research process.
But few researchers are confident that they know the best way to
do this. And now that impact is being measured in the Research
Excellence Framework, the knowledge exchange skills needed to
achieve impact are becoming increasingly important for
promotion.
Two training courses have been designed to equip researchers
with the tools and principles they need to run a successful
knowledge exchange programme based on the latest research and
award-winning practices. Participants will discover the best way to
ensure that their research makes a very real difference in the
world, whether that means it is picked up in policy and practice or
through commercialization.
A one day course has been designed to give researchers an
introduction to working collaboratively with stakeholders, and to
help them learn how to integrate knowledge exchange more
effectively into their work. A three day course is also being
offered, where researchers can learn about good practice
stakeholder participation in research, gain skills in facilitation
and process design, and explore the benefits and challenges of
involving stakeholders in research. Both courses use examples from
environmental research and practice, but are relevant to
researchers from many fields.
The courses are taught by recognised international leaders in
knowledge exchange and stakeholder participation. Dr. Mark Reed and
Dr. Anna Evely are at the forefront of research to understand the
mechanisms through which knowledge exchange and participation
operates. They have won awards for the impact of their research on
environmental sustainability, and helped develop the Living With Environmental
Change partnership’s Knowledge Exchange Guidelines.
Dialogue Matters help people share knowledge and make better
decisions about the environment. Well designed and skilfully
facilitated stakeholder dialogue is key to this. Set up in 2000,
they have an excellent track record and receive consistently
positive feedback from sponsoring organisations, stakeholders and
trainees alike. Working across the UK and internationally, they
have designed over 70 processes (including 100 workshops) and
trained nearly 1000 people.
To find out more about the training and to book your place
visit:
www.sustainable-learning.org/training