Reports of past KFPE events
Events, News, Publications
International Conference of SUDAC – swissuniversities Development and Cooperation Network and KFPE. The focus was placed on research partnerships in and with the Global South. With its programmes Consortia for Education and Research (COFERs) and Clusters of Cooperation in the Global South (CLOC), swissuniversities provides important instruments to foster these research partnerships.
In September 2018, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the KFPE held a joint workshop in Tanzania. The purpose of which was to bring together researchers and stakeholders from the Global South to identify: (1) What constitutes best practice in research partnerships (2) How to engage researchers and governments from the Global South in research programme agenda setting (3) How to translate research outputs into development impact.
More than 70 high-level decision makers, scientists, NGO and funding agency representatives gathered to celebrate 20 years of KFPE Guidelines at the conference “Leveraging Research Partnerships for Global Challenges”. A series of talks presented in three separate sessions addressed the following topics: (i) new roles and tasks of science in general and research partnerships in particular; (ii) regional adaptation of scientific systems; and (iii) how science policies and funding systems can support transformative research. Participants were left with one clear conclusion at the end of the 22 November meeting: stronger integration and dialogue between science and society, including policy and business, is essential if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Image: © Valérie ChételatDie 20-Jahr-Jubiläumsfeierlichkeiten zum «Leitfaden für grenzüberschreitende Forschungspartnerschaften» der KFPE brachte Vertreterinnen und Vertreter aus Forschung, Politik, Verwaltung, Wirtschaft und Nicht-Regierungsorganisationen zusammen. Die Agenda 2030 müsse schnell und global vorangetrieben werden.
Image: © Valérie ChételatCOHRED, in collaboration with the Swiss Commission for Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) hosted COHRED Colloquium 5, an event that focused on the Research Fairness Initiative.
The Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), in collaboration with the KFPE hosted a parallel session at the Geneva Health Forum 2018, entitled “Increasing fairness and impact of research partnerships”.
The 2017 KFPE annual conference, organised together with SUDAC, focused on the potential and limitations of digital tools and approaches in the research and policy arenas, as well as the relevance of such tools and approaches in education.
The KFPE co-organised two sessions on partnerships at this important event with the Council on Health Research for Development (www.cohred.org), the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS) and COHESION-Project.
Research and innovation are important factors in reducing poverty and global risks. In collaboration with KFPE the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), held a second research fair on 9 November in Bern.
KFPE was co-organiser of this event, taking place 20 September 2016. The event was meant to provide an overview and stimulate dialogue about potential courses of action and solutions at both international and national level, while also providing different stakeholders (science, industry, NGOs and Members of Parliament) with an opportunity to share their views.
Researchers working in conflict-affected areas need to be aware that the political and security situation in their study area may change very quickly. Should the situation deteriorate, they and their local partners may suddenly find themselves at risk, and their project’s continuation might be in jeopardy. Which security guidelines should researchers follow in such situations? How can their security be ensured if they are working in remote areas? What can be done to enable project continuation under worsened security conditions?
On 22nd September 2015, the LEMONOC conference in Brussels addressed the potential and challenges of learning mobility between the ‘Global South’ and the ‘Global North’. More than 60 stakeholders from universities, universities of applied science and other organisations in Europe and beyond met in order to exchange their experience, expertise and ideas. The event took place as the final conference delivering the outputs of the project as well as a platform to launch the LEMONOC Network as a follow-up.
KFPE returned to Lao PDR as co-organizer of the two-day “Workshop on Science–Policy Engagement” held in Vientiane on 8-9 September 2015. The workshop was a follow-up to the country’s first ever high-level Science–Policy Exchange (13-14 February 2014), which KFPE also co-organized.
On 21 April 2015, a group of scholars and stakeholders discussed research gaps in the field of commodities and trade at an academic workshop.
On 10 February, a workshop at the University of Basel addressed the potential and challenges of learning mobility between the ‘Global South’ and the ‘Global North’. More than 30 stakeholders from universities, universities of applied science and other organisations in Switzerland and beyond met in order to exchange their experience, expertise and ideas.
With its anniversary conference, the KFPE addressed the topic of extractive industries through the lens of science and research partnerships. It did so by presenting reflections and results from case studies conducted in different geographic contexts. Philippe Le Billon, one of the most renowned scholars in this field and Ricardo Giesecke, former Minister for Environment of Peru, shared particular insights into the extractive industries.
A panel-session organised in the frame of the EADI Conference in Bonn, 24 June 2014. The session was organised by Gilles Carbonier - member of the KFPE - and Tiina Kontinen and chaired by Isa Baud, president of EADI.
This “Science–Policy Exchange” event was held on 13 and 14 February 2014 in Lao PDR to foster efforts to improve collaboration between researchers and decision-makers. Its purpose was to create a space for dialogue between the various parties, and to take stock of the current status of science–policy exchange in the country.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and KFPE were jointly organising a Research Fair (5 June 2013) to provide an opportunity for exchange and dialogue between science, policy, and practice.
Research partnerships with developing countries are meaningful because partners from both the South and the North can expect significant added value from their collaboration. Successful research partnerships generate high-quality local and global scientific knowledge that can be translated into development action. This, in turn, reinforces Switzerland’s role as a centre of scientific expertise and increases its disciplinary, transdisciplinary, and technical know-how.
Research partnerships are meaningful when partners can expect significant added value from their collaboration. Successful partnerships are based on mutual interests, trust and a shared vision. Partners are confronted with various challenges such as defining the agenda and responsibilities together, dealing with different expectations and goals, communicating across a variety of epistemological borders, strengthening capacity, finding adequate funding – to list the most important ones mentioned in the literature.
Contact
SCNAT
Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE)
House of Academies
PO Box
3001 Bern
Switzerland