Training course launched to support LWEC's new Knowledge Exchange Guidelines
15 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