Engaged forms of scholarship involving close collaboration between academics and users of research are becoming increasingly relevant as a means to improve the validity, relevance and impact of academic research. For this reason, Research Councils are increasingly emphasising the importance of co-produced research and user engagement at all stages of research.

However, many academics have limited experience of engaged research. AIM is offering a set of two events intended to help early and mid-career academics initiate and manage research projects that involve the co-production of knowledge with users of research. The workshops will help participants develop their own proposals, with advice, support and direct feedback from researchers with experience of engaged research. They will cover strategies to engage users in the initial stages, techniques to foster long-term and co-productive relationships with practitioners, and approaches to finalise and report on engaged research projects.

Two events, both to be held in London, one on 24, November 2008 and the other on 19, March 2009,  will:

•    Present and discuss major approaches to engaged research (including action research)

•    Extend participants’ understanding of the expectations of Research Councils with respect to engaged research

•    Identify and discuss key issues and challenges in undertaking engaged research

•    Provide practical advice in negotiating and conducting engaged research (offered from the experiences of presenters and participants in co-production research)

Between the two events, participants will be encouraged to:

•    Prepare and develop their own proposals for engaged research

•    Interact with other participants and the organisers of these workshops via a wiki
If spaces are available, we will allow registration for the second workshop only, if a participant has developed a draft proposal by March. Priority will be given to people who attend the first workshop.

Speakers

The events are jointly organised by AIM Innovation Fellows Mike Chiasson (Lancaster), Luciana D’Adderio (Edinburgh), Zella King (Reading) and Jonathan Sapsed (Brighton). The workshops will include presentations by the following AIM Senior Fellows:  John Bessant (Imperial College London), Chris Voss (LBS), and Mark Easterby-Smith (University of Lancaster), as well as Richard Baskerville (Georgia State University) and Lucy Gilson (University of Connecticut). 

Registration Information

To guarantee an informal and interactive environment, the number of places available is limited to 25. Participants are asked to apply by completing  the attached application form and sending it to workshop@aimknowledge.org before 20 November 2008. We aim to inform participants of acceptance to the workshop within three days from their application.