Partnerships in Research and Development: a consultation event
10.00 - 4.00 14th May 2014 Executive Boardroom, Middlesex University, Hendon
The Work Based Learning Research Centre already has significant expertise with development
projects, working with individuals and with our many engagements relating to knowledge
requirements of organisations. These activities bring university level critical thinking to produce
research that has immediate use for individual practitioners and / or organisations. (see our doctoral
programme here http://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/Professionalpractice/iwbldprof.aspx
See our research activities here http://www.mdx.ac.uk/research/iwbl/publications/index.aspx )
To undertake these programmes and research activities we provide research expertise that includes
`transdisciplinary’ approaches and practice-based skills from our 20+ year experience deployed to
work alongside a spectrum of professions and organisations.
We now wish to extend our research offer to engage in knowledge co-creation with partner
organisations as well as individuals from a range of organisational and work contexts by providing:
1. postgraduate research opportunities for those who have completed our doctorate or a
doctorate degree from another acknowledged university.
2. joint research with organisations whereby our researchers work with representatives
towards researching organisational issues for development, creative innovations, change or
problem solving.
We will increase value in the work of practitioners through co-creation of research initiatives by
university tutors researching and writing in conjunction with organisations/ practitioners concerned.
This form of collaborative co-creation is a way forward in product and process innovation.
We live in a world that is deeply interconnected where knowledge and expertise are the
outcome of interaction among different stakeholders. This notion is at the core of the idea
of knowledge co-creation, the process through which the University engages with
organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to develop knowledge and initiate
a joint learning process.
In most instances, the stakeholders themselves contribute the relevant practical knowledge
concerned. They frame and define the problem, have a say in how the problem is
addressed, and are present and thus involved in the learning process. We work with
practitioner with methods and techniques that help practitioners/ stakeholders develop
their knowledge and engage with specific aspects of their organisation/ professional sphere.
As researchers working in university, we recognise that knowledge is often embedded in
organisations. It is a knowledge accrued through work and professional practice by the
practitioners themselves, through professional tools, tasks, and networks. Rather than
bringing 'expertise' from outside to provide solutions, the University can use its capabilities
to develop new practical knowledge, redefine a problem and how it is addressed. This is a
process of mutual benefit for all parties. The investigation thus becomes a co-creative
enterprise through the interaction between societal stakeholders who bring insider
knowledge and the University researchers' forms of systematic enquiry.
We therefore create value through new forms of systematic enquiry which facilitate new
forms of reflective and other kinds of learning. This value is increasingly co-created by the
University in conjunction with stakeholders/ practitioners concerned.
This form of collaborative co-creation has become a new way forward in product and
process innovation. It heralds a movement away from separating the skills of the university
academic from the skills of the specialist or professional expert actively working in the
organisation.
This is a way forward in product and process innovation heralding a movement away from
separating the skills of the university academic from the skills of the specialist or
professional and enabling them to converse at a peer level. Knowledge thus `co-created’
acknowledges the expertise of all stakeholders involved to produce, for example, rigorous
and substantive ways of developing new processes, instigating policy changes, improving or
changing of organisational systems and structures, creative developments in a range of
fields.
An organisation’s partnership with the university becomes part of a reciprocal experience
rather than a one sided transaction for services. The individuals or the stakeholders
concerned can exercise their freedom of choice to interact with the university through a
range of possibilities which are relevant and meaningful in their own particular work
contexts.
This approach takes the form of university engagement with the knowledge requirements of
organisations, bringing university level critical thinking to produce research that has
immediate use for individual practitioners and organisations. The stakeholders themselves
contribute the relevant practical knowledge concerned. They frame and define the problem,
have a say in how the problem is addressed, and are present and thus involved in the
process. This is work-based and problem-solving activity directly relevant and applicable to
specific contexts, providing a source of investment in the form of economically valuable and
useful knowledge.
We are talking of a new transaction whereby stakeholder/practitioners add insider
knowledge when approaching a project and can enhance the work according to specific
requirements. Instead of researchers in university undertaking specific pieces of research in
organisations and reporting back, the investigation becomes a co-creative enterprise. The
shift to user-centric approaches can lead to increased innovation capabilities for the
individuals and organisations concerned.
Examples of projects
1.
Maguire, K., Costley, C. and Scott-Hunt, S. (2010) ‘Work Based Learning; new framework for
solicitors evaluation’ Project Report for the Solicitors Regulation Authority
http://www.sra.org.uk/students/work-based-learning.page
2.
Costley, C., Stephenson, J. and Abukari, A. (2008) ‘A Feasibility Study for A Workforce
Development Centre for Wales’ funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
http://www3.uwic.ac.uk/English/management/workbasedlearning/CCWL/documents/HEFCW/S
trategic%20Development/Full%20Projects.pdf
3. ‘A University and a Construction Company Partnership’ Jonathan Garnett
4. ‘A University Work Based Learning approach in Healthcare’ Katherine Rounce
How we work
Using academic research approaches for innovation can be a challenge. We begin by
working with organisations to establish their knowledge needs for further development and
growth. Our expertise is then used to initiate research and development capabilities within
organisations.
The provision of `transdisciplinary’ expertise alongside subject-based knowledge can be
deployed to work alongside a whole spectrum of professions and organisations.
This provides a reciprocal experience rather than a one sided transaction for services,
where interactions and transactions can be in a preferred language and style.
We work with practitioners with methods and techniques that help all stakeholders develop
their knowledge and engage with specific aspects of their organisation/ professional sphere
through, for example:
Critical thinking methods
Task specific research approaches
Appropriate research tools
Research and development techniques
Cognitive mapping
Developing the systematic capacity to reflect and generate new insights, solutions and paths
to creative work-based projects, problem solving and change.
Key questions
- How do we further develop this way of working so it is relevant and demand-led.
- How do we drive these ideas forward with industry partners?
- What are the specific needs of practitioners and their organisations that can be addressed?
- How do we get the message across effectively?
A buffet lunch and refreshments will be provided.
We would value your participation in this event. We think you will find it stimulating and
worthwhile. Please sign up here to register your place at the event.
Any further information required: Professor Carol Costley c.costley@mdx.ac.uk or
Stephen Watt for administrative issues s.watt@mdx.ac.uk