On producing and sharing knowledge across boundaries: Experiences from the interfaces of an international development research network

The number of large research networks and programmes engaging in knowledge production for development has grown over the past years. One of these programmes devoted to generating knowledge about and for development is National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North–South, a cross-disciplinary, international development research network funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Producing relevant knowledge for development is a core goal of the programme and an important motivation for many of the participating researchers. Over the years, the researchers have made use of various spaces for exchange and instruments for co-production of knowledge by academic and non-academic development actors. In this article we explore the characteristics of co-producing and sharing knowledge in interfaces between development research, policy and NCCR North–South practice. We draw on empirical material of the NCCR North–South programme and its specific programme element of the Partnership Actions. Our goal is to make use of the concept of the interface to reflect critically about the pursued strategies and instruments applied in producing and sharing knowledge for development across boundaries

Towards Policy Integration: Experiences with intersectoral coordination in international and national forest policy

Abstract The concepts of policy coordination and integration are theoretically appealing but rather difficult to implement in practice. This paper reviews the emergence of the requirement of policy coordination in international and national forest policy and analyses the Swiss case of the National Forest Programme against the theoretical background of coordination, particularly intersectoral negative and positive coordination. It finds that from a procedural point of view intersectoral coordination attempts result in the opening up of the forest policy sector, formerly rather confined to itself. On a programme level, however, mixed solutions of different forms of coordination are suggested, indicating a preference for bilateral coordination among specific policy sectors. Overall, the coordination attempts in national forest policy indicate that several steps are to be taken in order to proceed towards high level decision for integrated policy strategies in environment and sustainable development

Wissensaustausch zwischen Forschung und Praxis erfolgreich gestalten

Um die gesellschaftliche Transformation zu gestalten, wird der Austausch von Wissen zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis immer wichtiger. Dieser Artikel benennt Prinzipien, Kompetenzen und Rahmenbedingungen für erfolgreichen Wissensaustausch

Engagement für inter- und transdisziplinäre Forschung zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung

Die SAGUF lanciert neue Arbeitsgruppen zu aktuellen Themen und Herausforderungen

Auf dem Weg zu einer neuen Strategie: Wie die saguf noch transformativer wird

Die saguf macht Nachhaltigkeitstransformation zu ihrem zentralen Thema, engagiert sich für transformatives Forschen und Lernen in der Wissenschaft und intensiviert den Dialog mit der jungen Generation

The Prospects for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in Vietnam: A Look at Three Payment Schemes

Global conservation discourses and practices increasingly rely on market-based solutions to fulfill the dual objective of forest conservation and economic development. Although varied, these interventions are premised on the assumption that natural resources are most effectively managed and preserved while benefiting livelihoods if the market-incentives of a liberalised economy are correctly in place. By examining three nationally supported payment for ecosystem service (PES) schemes in Vietnam we show how insecure land tenure, high transaction costs and high opportunity costs can undermine the long-term benefits of PES programmes for local households and, hence, potentially threaten their livelihood viability. In many cases, the income from PES programmes does not reach the poor because of political and economic constraints. Local elite capture of PES benefits through the monopolization of access to forestland and existing state forestry management are identified as key problems. We argue that as PES schemes create a market for ecosystem services, such markets must be understood not simply as bald economic exchanges between ‘rational actors’ but rather as exchanges embedded in particular socio-political and historical contexts to support the sustainable use of forest resources and local livelihoods in Vietnam

Collaborative knowledge production for sustainable development: Experiences from the NCCR North-South

Does collaborative knowledge production in intercultural teams of researchers from the global North and South offer ways to avoid ‘Western’ dominance in globalised science? This is the key question examined in the present article, which draws on experiences from the international development research network of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South. The article illustrates what has been done to bring together ‘Western’ and ‘non-Western’ research traditions and rationalities in development research and provides insights into the opportunities and constraints of intercultural, collaborative knowledge production. It reveals a critical awareness of the potential, limitations, and consequences of methodological inclusiveness. Although collaborative knowledge production processes involve challenges and large investments, they offer an alternative to the dominant aspirations of individualistic leadership and scientific excellence. Collaboration plays a critical role in the development of scientific creativity in general, and in the context of sustainable development in particular

Vietnam's mountain problematique : debating development, policy and politics in mountain areas

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