Knowledge Exchange for Impact: Perspectives from Relu Amy Proctor Newcastle University

Knowledge Exchange for Impact:
Perspectives from Relu
Amy Proctor
Newcastle University
The Rural Economy and Land
Use Programme
Relu promotes interdisciplinary research
on the social, economic, environmental
and technological challenges
facing agriculture and rural areas
 ESRC, BBSRC, NERC, Defra, Scottish
Government
 2004-2013
 Ethos of doing science differently
 Interdisciplinary research
 Stakeholder engagement
Sustainable
Food Chains
Integrated Land &
Water Use
Animal &Plant Disease
Management
Adaptation to
Environmental Change
2
A philosophy of knowledge exchange
A philosophy of knowledge exchange
What is knowledge for?
Knowledge
producers
Knowledge
users
A philosophy of knowledge exchange
Whose knowledge counts?
Knowledge
producers
Knowledge
users
How are we promoting knowledge exchange?
1)
stakeholders engaged throughout
as active partners in research
2)
two-way exchange between
scientists and stakeholders
3)
pluralistic and inclusive notion of
stakeholders
4)
soft knowledge exchange through
informal networks between research
and practice
6
How are we promoting knowledge exchange at a project
level?
Testing a
community
approach to
catchment
management
How are we promoting knowledge exchange at a project
level?
Understanding
environmental
knowledge
controversies
How are we promoting knowledge exchange at a
programme level?
• Sustained approach to
relationship management
• Distinctive approach to
science communication
• Building soft networks for
knowledge exchange
Accounting for Knowledge Exchange
Stakeholder Impact Analysis Matrix (SIAM)





enables stakeholder mapping and identification of key gaps;
provides analysis of how stakeholders are involved, to inform future approaches;
identifies stakeholder constituencies around which to seek feedback;
gives insight into scale and extent of short term impacts, on research and
stakeholders;
provides data for targeting and accounting for longer term impact analysis.
Nature of Relationship
Project
Organisation
or company
Steering
Visitor/
/
Research
Event
Partner
Consultee
work
Customer
advisory subject participant
shadowee
group
Contributed
to objective
setting
Contributed
to project
design
G
Salmon Project
H
HPA
H
D
I
Oxford University
Farm businesses
Water Trust
L
Swedish EPA
1
1
1
D
Defra ELS
4
D
B
Natural England
Biojoule
4
4
4
4
B
B
Defra
Environment Agency
1
1
B
IEA Task 37
1
1
B
IGER
B
NFU
F
Com for Rural Comm
F
F
Environment Agency
Environment Agency
F
Environment Agency
F
H
OECD
Defra
1
H
Forest Manager
1
H
GWCT
H
HPS
H
MCofS
H
H
Moredun Institute
Natural England
H
Scottish Natural Heritage
H
H
SNH
Scottish Wildlife Trust
H
The Royal Parks
1
1
Research Process
Contributed
to knowledge
production as
equal
partners
Provided
access to
research
facilities,
materials or
study sites
1
1
1
1
1
24
1
1
Impact
Contribution to project
Input to Research
24
1
1
Assisted
in data
collection
1
1
1
24
1
4
1
1
24
1
Provided
information
or views as
research
subjects
Research Outputs
Received
copies of
findings
1
Gave
feedback
on
findings
1
1
1
24
24
1
24
24
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
10
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
of
of research on of research on
stakeholder
stakeholder
stakeholder's
on research
policies or
knowledge or
relevance
practices
understanding
4
4
1
1
of
stakeholder
on scientific
quality
1
1
1
Helped to
disseminate
findings
1
Accounting for Knowledge Exchange:
Stakeholder relationship and contribution
 Certain stakeholder
relationships bring mutual
benefits (people exchange,
advisory groups)
 Certain stakeholder
contributions are mutually
beneficial (objective setting,
dissemination)
Accounting for Knowledge Exchange:
Impact on stakeholder and research
 Researchers report
positive impact of
stakeholders on research
quality and relevance
 Impacts of research on
stakeholder knowledge
outstrips impact on
policies and practices
Accounting for
Knowledge
Exchange
Visitor/
Host
Advisory
Group
Dissemination
Feedback
What does this mean for future research?
 Knowledge exchange = a practical philosophy of engagement
 Requires researchers to rethink role as knowledge producers in
relation to other sources of expertise
 Suggests we explore determinants of successful knowledge exchange