Rapid socio-technical and environmental changes are driving researchers and educators to adapt their practices and organizational structures. Academic communities are challenged in crossing disciplinary boundaries, strengthening ties with civil society, administration and industry and transforming research and higher education. For such transformation, no blueprint exists.
The Responsive Research Collective offers support to accompany you in designing and implementing or assessing university transformation, or in transforming study programs, research units and projects. Drawing on the richness of your own expertise and knowledge, we develop customized processes for your specific circumstances, needs and goals.
For research teams:
Research development workshop
For university collectives:
University transformation workshop
For teams and institutions:
Formative evaluation and accompanying research
For research or educator teams:
Accompanying transformation series
This workshop is directed towards collaborative, inter- or transdisciplinary research teams and designed as a sequence of presentations, panel discussions and interactive group work. Exploration of shared research objectives of teams are conducted, while collaboratively creating mutual understanding, developing theoretical foundation, methodological design and supportive organizational research environments. According to the team’s needs, specific methods can be introduced and explored based on the subject of concern. Research teams gain substantial input to their envisioned and on-going research.
objectives
— Explore meanings and objectives of the research of all those involved and creating mutual understanding
— Gain a shared understanding of the type of inter- or transdisciplinarity pursued
— Work on key concepts of the research endeavour to explore semantic differences and commonalities
— Develop or strengthen the inter- or transdisciplinary research methodology
— Decide on process organization, communication, collaboration and decision making in the team
— Experience methods for problem framing, knowledge integration and outcome design
key-facts
Duration:
2 days; individual preparatory tasks required
Cooperation:
We cooperate with the host institution in designing and implementing the Research Development Workshop
Participants:
Research Development Workshops are targeted at inter- or transdisciplinary research teams; it is recommended to involve research partners in trans-sector collaboration
Organization:
The Responsive Research Collective implements the event. Host institutions take responsibility for on-site organization. Workshops can be run online or face to face
We have implemented Research Development Workshops with single and multiple research teams in Japan, Austria, Germany and Australia.
Transforming universities from disciplinary models of organization towards inter- and transdisciplinary research and education are long term processes involving multiple actors and governance levels. The Responsive Research Collective supports the development of roadmaps and process designs, facilitates dialogue, structures for visioning processes and supports strategy development and action design.
objectives
— Identify key actors from multiple governance levels and areas within universities
— Explore the potential of university communities for niche initiatives, bottom-up and top-down activities
— Gain a shared vision of university transformation
— Develop a strategy, roadmap and process design for transformation
— Strengthen inter- and transdisciplinary university cultures and communities
key-facts
To be defined based on your needs
We have contributed to university transformation proceses in bottom-up, niche- and top-down strategy development and implementation in different world regions.
We offer different kinds of evaluation, including continuous, formative accompanying evaluation, assistance to self-evaluation and ex-post evaluations of inter- and transdisciplinary research activities and higher education programmes. Our approach to evaluation is situated, combining learning with and for those being evaluated with an outsider perspective to learn from a team, activity, or institution. Similarly, our formative accompanying research approach enables to learn with, for and about inter- and transdisciplinary practices and processes with a formative accompanying researcher working continuously alongside a team.
A particular focus of our approach to evaluation is how to decolonize and Indigenize research and higher education with a ‚Made in Africa‘ evaluation approach conducted by Indigenous scholars. We recognizes the importance of empowering those being evaluated and apply methods which are culturally sensitive, address power asymmetries, and elevate the voices of marginalized Indigenous people. Made in Africa Evaluation promotes Africa-led and African-rooted evaluations. This implies efforts to embed African ways of knowing, African realities, African values and African relational methodologies and approaches in evaluation practices.
We have conducted various formative evaluations and accompanying research in Africa and Europe.
We accompany teams of researchers and educators while transforming institutions or study programs towards inter- and transdisciplinarity. Our role is to facilitate processes, support the development of a shared understanding of objectives, core concepts, working modalities and provide input according to the teams needs. The Accompanying Transformation Series provides short-term weekly accompaniment over several weeks or accompaniment over longer periods.
objectives
— Become familiar with epistemic, methodological, communicative, social, cultural and organizational aspects of inter- and transdisciplinarity
— Elaborate shared objectives and mutual conceptual understanding
— Explore how to broaden disciplinary research by jointly developing inter- or transdisciplinary interface designs
— Experience and reflect on collaborative action in heterogeneous teams
— Become familiar with approaches to organizing collaboration, integration and decision making in inter- and transdisciplinary teams
key-facts
Duration:
several weeks (weekly) or over a longer period (bi-weekly), 2-3 hours
Cooperation:
We cooperate with the host institution in designing and implementing the Accompanying Transformation Sessions
Participants:
Accompanying Transformation Sessions are targeted at research or education teams responsible for the transformation of a unit or study program
Organization:
The Responsive Research Collective provides accompaniment and inputs. Host institutions take responsibility for on-site organization
We have accompanied Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and currently work with public universities in Egypt.
Rapid socio-technical and environmental changes are driving researchers and educators to adapt their practices and organizational structures. Academic communities are challenged in crossing disciplinary boundaries, strengthening ties with civil society, administration and industry and transforming research and higher education. For such transformation, no blueprint exists.
The Responsive Research Collective offers support to accompany you in designing, implementing or assessing university transformation, or in transforming study programs, research units and projects. Drawing on the richness of your own expertise and knowledge, we develop customized processes for your specific circumstances, needs and goals.
For research teams:
Research development workshop
For university collectives:
University transformation workshop
For teams and institutions:
Formative evaluation and accompanying research
For research or educator teams:
Accompanying transformation series
This workshop is directed towards collaborative, inter- or transdisciplinary research teams and designed as a sequence of presentations, panel discussions and interactive group work. Exploration of shared research objectives of teams are conducted, while collaboratively creating mutual understanding, developing theoretical foundation, methodological design and supportive organizational research environments. According to the team’s needs, specific methods can be introduced and explored based on the subject of concern. Research teams gain substantial input to their envisioned and on-going research.
objectives
— Explore meanings and objectives of the research of all those involved and creating mutual understanding
— Gain a shared understanding of the type of inter- or transdisciplinarity pursued
— Work on key concepts of the research endeavour to explore semantic differences and commonalities
— Develop or strengthen the inter- or transdisciplinary research methodology
— Decide on process organization, communication, collaboration and decision making in the team
— Experience methods for problem framing, knowledge integration and outcome design
key-facts
Duration:
2 days; individual preparatory tasks required
Cooperation:
We cooperate with the host institution in designing and implementing the Research Development Workshop
Participants:
Research Development Workshop are targeted at inter- or transdisciplinary research teams; it is recommended to involve research partners in trans-sector collaboration
Organization:
The Responsive Research Collective will design and deliver the event with the host institution taking responsibility for on-site organization. Workshops can be run online or face to face.
We have implemented Research Development Workshops with single and multiple research teams in Japan, Austria, Germany and Australia.
Transforming universities from disciplinary models of organization towards inter- and transdisciplinary research and education are long term processes involving multiple actors and governance levels. The Responsive Research Collective supports the development of roadmaps and process designs, facilitates dialogue, structures for visioning processes and supports strategy development and action design.
objectives
— Identify key actors from multiple governance levels and areas within universities
— Explore the potential of university communities for niche initiatives, bottom-up and top-down activities
— Gain a shared vision of university transformation
— Develop a strategy, roadmap and process design for transformation
— Strengthen inter- and transdisciplinary university cultures and communities
key-facts
To be defined based on your needs
We have contributed to university transformation proceses in bottom-up, niche- and top-down strategy development and implementation in different world regions.
We offer different kinds of evaluation, including continuous, formative accompanying evaluation, assistance to self-evaluation and ex-post evaluations of inter- and transdisciplinary research activities and higher education programmes. Our approach to evaluation is situated, combining learning with and for those being evaluated with an outsider perspective to learn from a team, activity, or institution. Similarly, our formative accompanying research approach enables to learn with, for and about inter- and transdisciplinary practices and processes with a formative accompanying researcher working continuously alongside a team.
A particular focus of our approach to evaluation is how to decolonize and Indigenize research and higher education with a ‚Made in Africa‘ evaluation approach conducted by Indigenous scholars. We recognizes the importance of empowering those being evaluated and apply methods which are culturally sensitive, address power asymmetries, and elevate the voices of marginalized Indigenous people. Made in Africa Evaluation promotes Africa-led and African-rooted evaluations. This implies efforts to embed African ways of knowing, African realities, African values and African relational methodologies and approaches in evaluation practices.
We have conducted various formative evaluations and accompanying research in Africa and Europe.
We accompany teams of researchers and educators while transforming institutions or study programs towards inter- and transdisciplinarity. Our role is to facilitate processes, support the development of a shared understanding of objectives, core concepts, working modalities and provide input according to the teams needs. The Accompanying Transformation Series provides short-term weekly accompaniment over several weeks or accompaniment over longer periods.
objectives
— Become familiar with epistemic, methodological, communicative, social, cultural and organizational aspects of inter- and transdisciplinarity
— Elaborate shared objectives and mutual conceptual understanding
— Explore how to broaden disciplinary research by jointly developing inter- or transdisciplinary interface designs
— Experience and reflect on collaborative action in heterogeneous teams
— Become familiar with approaches to organizing collaboration, integration and decision making in inter- and transdisciplinary teams
key-facts
Duration:
several weeks (weekly) or over a longer period (bi-weekly), 2-3 hours
Cooperation:
We cooperate with the host institution in designing and implementing the Accompanying Transformation Sessions
Participants:
Accompanying Transformation Sessions are targeted at research or education teams responsible for the transformation of a unit or study program
Organization:
The Responsive Research Collective provides accompaniment and inputs. Host institutions take responsibility for on-site organization
We have accompanied Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and currently work with public universities in Egypt.
