Stakeholders perspectives on transdisciplinary projects Motivations - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Stakeholders’ perspectives on transdisciplinary projects Motivations and ways towards im impact

Tobias Buser, CDE, University of Bern and Network for Transdisciplinary Research Steering and reflection group: PI: Christian Pohl, USYS TdLab, ETH Zurich; Stephan Rist, CDE, University of Bern; Merritt Polk, School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg; Flurina Schneider, CDE, University of Bern; Lars Lilled, Mistra Urban Futures/Göteborg City; Silvia Tobias, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL; Roderick Lawrence, University of Geneva; Pius Krütli, USYS TdLab, ETH Zurich

School of Global Studies

Project goals

WP1: Identify and analyse stakeholders’ interests, values and goals to participate

in transdisciplinary urban development projects

WP2: Identify and analyse participant’s ways of linking transdisciplinary projects to

their organisation

WP3: Jointly develop criteria for successful transdisciplinary urban development

projects with representatives of the different stakeholder groups

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Project str tructure and methods

• The study is based on consultations (interviews, meetings) and co-

production events (workshops) with representatives of public

• rganisations (administration on local and regional level, and

politicians) and NGO’s engaged in research projects on sustainable urban and periurban development.

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Cases and In Interv rviewpartners

Mistra Urban Futures, Gothenburg, Sweden:

• 16 interviews, one workshop, and a short group consultation
• 13 Representatives from 3 MUF projects, WISE, KAIROS and Urban Station

Communities (predominantly from public administration, all levels from city, GR, region and landstyrelsen, polititicians)

• 2 Programme leaders and 1 longterm programme consultant, both academic and

practitioners

RAMUN (Room for people and nature), 4 case study regions, Switzerland

• 10 interviews (public administration, local politicians, NGOs)
• + material available from evaluations we already conducted earlier

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Observ rvations regarding th the sample

• The interviewees have participated in at least one transdisciplinary

project and were willing to reflect their experiences in an interview and/or workshop

• a high number of «boundary persons» among the interviewees
• Strong interest in scientific and other types of knowledge
• Dedication to democratic and justice values
• Strong interest in reflection and some joy to deal with various

perspectives

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Stakeholders’ motivations to part rticipate

• Topic: important, often strategic questions that are relevant for the
• wn tasks/organisation
• Tackling challenges/developments with higher complexity than usual

tasks of the respective organisation

• Getting to know other perspectives / reflecting own perspective with
• thers
• Co-production ways seen as value in itself - the right way to go in a

democracy

• Connecting with other actors in the field
• Input from science to reflect own strategies

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Stakeholder’s expectations

• Being engaged in a process that is not only talking about co-

production, but really is “walking the talk”

• Being respected as an expert in their domain
• Getting access to state of the art knowledges
• Results that are useful/concrete / (mostly when aiming at a concrete

product/strategy (e.g. climate strategy of the city), but also broaden the horizon

• Being part from the beginning / framing of the project
• Flexibility of scientists, inclination towards real world challenges

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

How do stakeholders li link k back k to their ir in instit itutional l context xt?

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

How do stakehold lders li link back to th their ir ins instit itutio ional l context xt? (I) (I)

Informing

• Delivering information and reflection on the projects in the organisation’s own

publications Enabling Consultation

• Forming inter-departmental working groups to discuss ongoing projects and their

implications Enabling Co-production

• Encouraging employees/ colleagues to participate in co-production projects

including reallocation of resources

• Starting collaborations with other participants

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

How do stakehold lders li link back to th their ir ins instit itutio ional l context xt? (II) (II)

Institutional learning, Capacity building

• Using participatory and co-production methods in other projects
• Restructuring planning processes in more participatory ways, integrating and

deliberating more knowledge perspectives Policies and products

• Policies and strategies (e.g. climate strategy for Gothenburg) are an output of the

process Re-using process designs

• Using process designs, e.g. to develop strategical policies as adaptable templates

for similar strategy developments

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Whic ich ele lements and forms of colla llaboration do s stakeholders gauge as specifically im important/critical/promising?

• Interaction, deliberation and learning platforms with physical meetings
• Inspiration and reflection through other perspectives, knowledge and

experiences

• Increasing the quality of the own work and the regions attractivity and

development

• Capacity development and motivation of employees in own organisation and in

the region

• Creating and facilitating «Arenas», on the one hand outside the usual political

processes, but on the other hand linked to concrete challenges and projects

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

• Creation of sound systems knowledge (based on broad range of perspectives)

as basis for strategy development, enhances agency through more clarity about the state of the art and as perceived “neutral” decision base

• Co-creation and deliberation on joint goals and differences in visioning

processes, fosters agency through increased clarity on desirable and undesirable futures.

• Creating actionable strategies and steps towards goals and visions, based on

the best available knowledges. Enhances agency through addressing (and integrating) potential barriers/opponents early and through the plausibility to pursue “the best available options”

• Experiencing successful co-production processes, leads to enhanced agency

through transformation knowledge on participative approaches and methods

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019

Thank you for your attention! QUESTIONS?

Tobias Buser COST INTREPID Final Meeting 27-03-2019