Transformative Research – The New Imperative in Science?

KFPE & SUDAC Annual Conference

7 May 2021

Research shall contribute to transformations towards sustainable development. How does such research look like and what is needed to promote this kind of research? Will transformative research become the new normal or is it just a short-lived new fashion?

This conference brought together actors from academia, civil society, private sector, administration and politics to discuss the role of research for transformation. With presentations of examples of innovative transformative research partnerships and expectations from policy workers and practitioners we learned more about the potential but also challenges of transformative research. Together, we discussed how to implement, improve and promote transformative research.

7 Mai 2021

13.30	Registration
14.00	Welcome
	Franco Gervasoni (President SUDAC)
	Setting the Stage
14.05	Transforming science for sustainability transformations in the era of COVID-19 Thomas Breu (President KFPE)
	Getting Concrete
14.20	The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation's (SDC) strategic orientation regarding research for development. Nicolas Randin (Head Analysis and Policy Division, SDC)
14.35	Impact of COVID-19 on North-South Research Partnerships Inza Koné (Director Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire) and Laurent Goetschel (Director swisspeace)
14.45	Breakout Rooms to discuss examples of innovative transformative research approaches “Cooperation between Private Sector and Universities: A Key Element for Innovation in Sustainable Development?” Hans-Peter Egler (South Pole) “Tech4Dev – Activating EPFL Technologies for Disruptive Development Cooperation” Hilda Liswani (EPFL) "CLOC Knowledge2Action in South Asia" Swetha Rao Dhananka (HETS-FR)
15.05	Short break
	Shaping the Future
15.15	Paneldiscussion on the role of Switzerland to fund transformative research for global sustainable developent Science: Jürg Utzinger (Director SwissTPH) Private Sector: Hans-Peter Egler (Director Public Affairs South Pole) Administration: Maria Peyro Voeffray (Head International Relations, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation) Administration: Christian Frutiger (Head Global Cooperation, SDC)
16.00	Closing Remarks Marcel Tanner (President A+)
16.15	Informal online exchange