Interfacing Research, Policy Analysis and Practice: Building a Governance Knowledge Network

1. Interfacing Research, Policy Analysis and Practice: Building a Governance Knowledge Network Presentation for the Workshop on Building Distributed Communities of Practice for Enhanced Research-Policy Interface 30 May, 2004 Asit Sarkar International Centre for Governance and Development University of Saskatchewan

2. Focus of Presentation • Background to the Project • The GKN Initiative • Value of using ICT as networking protocol • Key findings from the Needs Assessment • Stakeholders’ Expectations from GKN • The Proposed Framework • What is needed (as we see it)?

3. International Centre for Governance and Development • Established in 2001 • An interdisciplinary unit • Focusing on active communication with stakeholders in governance and development • Knowledge development & knowledge sharing as key mission

4. GKN Initiative • Prompted by the desire to integrate knowledge from international development projects on governance into the research and learning environment • Supported by the Policy Branch of CIDA • Part of the new agenda of SSHRC

5. The GKN Initiative • A virtual Canadian community of knowledge & practice on governance and development • Initiate and foster knowledge sharing & knowledge aggregation among different stakeholders • A platform for sharing lessons, experiences and best practices • Act as a hub bridging theory and practice on governance and development • Serve as one-stop place for critical information updates on governance and development issues

6. The GKN Initiative . . . 2 • A hub for collaboration and partnerships among government, research community, academia, NGOs, and development practitioners • Build linkages with stakeholders in the developing world for knowledge sharing and knowledge generation • Encourage strategic partnerships with other international research communities for synergy between policy and practice

7. Reasons for Seeking Enhanced Research-Policy Interface • Research is more likely to contribute to evidence-based policy making that aims to reduce poverty, alleviate suffering or save lives if: • it fits within the political and institutional limits and pressures of policy makers, and resonates with their ideological assumptions, or sufficient pressure is exerted to challenge those limits • researchers and policy makers share particular kinds of networks and develop chains of legitimacy for particular policy areas • outputs are based on local involvement and credible evidence and are communicated via the most appropriate communicators, channels, style, format and timing ‘Bridging Research and Policy: Context, Links and Evidence’ E.Crewe and J. Young, July 2002, Overseas Development Institute and Global Development Network

8. Use of ICT for Networking • Operationally connect geographically dispersed expertise in research, policymaking and practice • Provide environment that facilitates issues-based discussions and problem solving • Provide a rich set of tools, including support for dialogue, negotiation and knowledge construction • Connect people to people, people to community • Connect people to information, people to knowledge • Connect people to workflow, people to best practices • Encourage the development and sharing of both tacit and explicit knowledge

9. Why GKN? • Current knowledge on governance and development is fragmented • Lack of awareness on people working on similar issues across provinces and between organizations • Growing interest in establishment of knowledge network • Need to build collaboration between public, private, non-governmental organizations and academia • New patterns of information dissemination need to be set up • Majority interested in applied research and technical assistance

10. Stakeholders’ Expectations (Recommendations) • Establishment of Knowledge network concisely focused on thematic lines • Network built upon dialogue vs. passive information dissemination • Develop a network that links resources from government, private and university • The GKN should be linked to training programs in universities • Establish a bilingual network (English and French)

11. Expected Outreach and Deliverables • Evolution of community of practice on governance and development • Policy briefings, field notes and research papers • Biannual meetings to share the state-of-the-art information and knowledge on governance and development • Sharing of best practices on governance and development • Develop and archive reference materials • Provide critical information to stakeholders interested in funding research projects

13. The Proposed Framework(work in progress) • Newsletter on policy initiatives, funding, reports and research services and functions • A Web portal to profile and disseminate critical information on regular basis • A Web portal that acts as information dissemination as well as knowledge development hub • Develop linkages with related global networks

14. Human & Technology Considerations affecting the Success of a DCoP • Didactics - Technology needs to help shared learning • Scalability – Must allow for new entrants & their effective participation • Trust – Quality assurance expectations • Security and privacy – Concern for all stakeholders • Usability – Easy navigability • Sociability – Network protocol & related aspects • Culture – Accommodate diverse cultures • Awareness – Technology’s capability to reach beyond initial stakeholders

15. GKN Partners • International Centre for Governance and Development, University of Saskatchewan • Policy Branch, Canadian International Development Agency • Parliamentary Centre of Canada • Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada • Canadian Association for Studies in International Development

16. Joint Value Added Potential • Sharing Knowledge • Creating a Network Web with profiles of network members • Establishing Thematic Hubs focusing on aspects of governance in which Canadians are active • Publicizing Current Events of interest to Network Members • Profiling the Governance-related Development Practices of Network Members • Aggregating Knowledge • Network Publications • Issue-based network repositories • Generating Knowledge • Collaborative research projects • Research colloquia • Issue-oriented forum

17. Key Issues to Consider • What will encourage researchers to contribute and participate in GKN? • How will the “community of interests” be drawn into the GKN? • What would satisfy the policymakers’ need for “just in time” policy input? • What will be the parameters of quality assurance? • What will drive the financial & operational sustainability?