Improvement to the quality of teaching and research in Water and Natural Resources Management (WNRM) cannot be ensured without a) a high commitment of HEIs in the partner countries, b) a high quality of trainers selected from the program countries, c) the ability to provide support (financial and supervision) of young researches, and d) a balance/good fit between the academic skills taught and the skills needed by the wider economic and social environment.

This is the reason why the WANASEA (Water and Natural resources in South-East Asia – www.wanasea.eu) project includes, as part of its activities, 5 training sessions in its 3 years of implementation. The second one focuses on the theme: Project design: writing a scientific proposal. It is co-organized by the Center for Research and Expertise on Education and Development (CREED, France) and Thammasat University (Bangkok, Thailand).

Objective

The main objective of this second training session is to improve the quality of project proposals formulated by WANASEA’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the field of WNRM. More specifically, we will focus on the two complementary sides of the project design: its scientific side and its administrative side. Articulation of ideas and description of essential steps of a scientific project will be taught, as well as concrete and practical tools to identify and answer to a call for proposal.

Target groups

Both academic and administrative staff, who are or plan to be involved in scientific activities related to WNRW, are targeted for training. A clear holistic approach is taken since WNRM issues are clearly connected to their societal environment. In addition, an inclusive approach that combines learning about both the scientific and professional aspects of research and teaching activities makes WANASEA’s training sessions unique. Moreover, the training sessions are designed to address HEI’s needs and promote collaboration and institutional commitments among its staff.

Criteria of selection

Trainees should be young professionals (under 40), who can communicate well in the English language and who demonstrate a strong interest for developing research and teaching innovation. Their profiles should be complementary enough so that as a whole, they will constitute a team of researchers and staff who are able to boost research activities and quality of teaching. We encourage WANASEA’s partners to carefully select the trainees in order to meet the above mentioned objectives.

Topic: Project design: writing a scientific proposal

This second training session aims to develop the writing skills of Wanasea’s participants and to identify the conditions for an HEI to set up some administrative support for researchers to be able to implement their project. In this session, we will focus on a major step in a research project: its formulation and design. The subject will be addressed through a very practical and concrete approach, based on the use of examples of calls for proposal, accessible by trainees.

The following questions will be addressed:

• How to identify the right call for proposal for your project;
• How to compare funding program; how to choose the more suitable one for your objectives;
• How to make sure that your project is relevant and consistent with the call; how to read a call and understand the prerequisites;
• The different stages of the project design;
• How to organize your work in order to succeed;
• How an institution can support its researchers.

The session will teach trainees to write a research proposal based on their scientific question. They will learn how to compel to the rules of funding agencies by designing a well-structured proposal, consistent with the scientific basis of their project. Concrete and practical tools will be used in order to make sure that trainees will be able to use what they’ve been taught in their professional activities. The course material is well suited for anyone interested in moving forward from their initial scientific question to the implementation of their project.

Methodology

• Pre-course: pre-assessment will be sent to participants to determine their existing knowledge, skills and interests; articles will be sent, that must be read in preparation.
• The training session will last 4 to 5 days and is designed to train approximately 20 people.
• The learning process is founded upon concrete and tangible activities related to trainees’ concerns. Methods, techniques and exercises will be based on ideas, case studies, programs and/or projects developed by the trainees themselves, resulting in clear improvement of the latter. For this reason, substantial (but reasonable) preparatory work will be asked to the trainees, 2 to 3 weeks before the training.
• For the training session, 4 or 5 trainers will be mobilized into dynamic working groups. We expect a high level commitment of the trainers and trainees attending seminars and transparency of the selection process.

Calendar and milestones

• From 4^th to 24^th February: call for applications open
• 25^th February: Wanasea’s members send to TU/CREED up to 5 applications
• 1^st March: selection of the trainees and beginning of the pre-class activities
• 19^th March: Introductory webinar
• 25-30 March: Training session in TU, Bangkok

Planning (subject to modifications until then)

Mon. 25 March (Morn.)

• Introduction of the topic “Project design: how to write a scientific proposal”
• The different kind of funding agencies and opportunities for SEA researchers and institutions
• Feedback from trainees on their experience in project design

Mon. 25 March (Aft.)

• Reading a call for proposal: the structuration of a project
• Presentation by trainees of their research questions (prepared before the training session – potentially resulting from Wanasea’s first training session)
• Formation of 4 or 5 work groups

Tue. 26 March (Morn.)

• Practical tools and recommendations
• Presentation of the methodology to go from the research question to the formulation of objectives and expected results
• Work groups: formulation of the project objectives and expected results

Tue. 26 March (Aft.)

• Different tools to design a project
• Presentations by IFS staff (tbc)
• Project design from the point of view of funding agencies; the evaluation process

Wed. 27 March (Morn.)

• Presentation of the methodology to work on the activities
• Work groups: formulation of activities

Wed. 27 March (Aft.)

• Field Trip

Thu. 28 March (Morn.)

• Definition of hypothesis and risks
• Indicators
• Monitoring and evaluation

Thu. 28 March (Aft.)

• Presentation JEAI program (IRD) 15h
• Presentation of the methodology to work on the definition of indicators and hypothesis
• Work groups: Formulation of indicators and hypothesis; preparation of final presentation

Fri. 29 March (Morn.)

• Presentation by Euraxess staff (tbc)
• Other concrete opportunities (tbc)
• Work groups: preparation of final presentation)

Fri. 29 March (Aft.)

• Presentation (30’), by each group, of their research project: Objectives, expected results, activities, indicators, hypothesis.
• Discussion: ideas for going further (from the proposal to the implementation…)
• Closing ceremony

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR IMPACT: IFS WANASEA PARTNERSHIP

Webinar : Training Session 2

Project design (WP2)

MATERIALS FOR DOWNLOAD

TDR Training session at Thammasat University

Meeting Minutes: Training Session at Thammasat University

Project design: writing a scientific proposal

Reading a call for proposal: the structuration of a project

Science & Innovation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Reading a call for proposal (Questions to ask before starting)

Understanding Assumptions and Risks in a Project Proposal

Tips for effective writing

IRD’s << JEAI >> Call for proposals

SWOT Analysis

Improve management of the destruction of mangrove ecosystem for sustainable development in Southern Vietnam

Call for proposals – EuropeAID (Andy Ramorasata)

Call for proposals (François Trémège)

CV: Andy Ramorasata

CV: TREMEGE François

CV: Francesco Obino

This is the reason why the WANASEA (Water and Natural resources in South-East Asia) project includes,
as part of its activities, 5 training sessions in its 3 years of implementation. The first one focuses on the
theme: Genesis of research: science, knowledge and society. It is co-organized by the Center for
Research and Expertise on Education and Development (CREED, France) and the Royal University of
Law and Economics (RULE, Cambodia).

Objective
The main objective of this initial training session is to improve the quality of teaching and research in
the field of WNRM among WANASEA’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). More specifically, the goals
are to strengthen the capacities of stakeholders to implement multidisciplinary research activities and
to foster cooperation between researchers and staff. The quality of teaching will be improved through
the production of relevant knowledge and by deepening teachers’ expertise.

Target groups
Both academic and administrative staff, who are or plan to be involved in scientific activities related
to WNRW, are targeted for training. A clear holistic approach is taken since WNRM issues are clearly
connected to their societal environment. In addition, an inclusive approach that combines learning
about both the scientific and professional aspects of research and teaching activities makes
WANASEA’s training sessions unique. Moreover, the training sessions are designed to address HEI’s
needs and promote collaboration and institutional commitments among its staff.

Criteria of selection
Trainees should be young professionals (under 40), who can communicate well in the English language
and who demonstrate a strong interest for developing research and teaching innovation. Their profiles
should be complementary enough so that as a whole, they will constitute a team of researchers and
staff who are able to boost research activities and quality of teaching. We encourage WANASEA’s
partners to carefully select the trainees in order to meet the above mentioned objectives.

Schedule
The schedule and venues of the trainings sessions is:

• Autumn 2018 at Rule/ITC (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
• Spring 2019 at TU (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Autumn 2019 at RULE (Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
• Spring 2020 at TU (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Autumn 2020 at VMU (Hai Phong, Vietnam).

Topics
WANASEA’s consortium identified 5 shared areas where improvement of skills and abilities would be beneficial for all institutions: research methodology, project proposal writing, data collection and analysis skills, teaching skills and dissemination. Based on these focal points, and taking into account the inclusive and institutional approach promoted by WANASEA, the themes of the 5 training sessions are defined as follows:

I Genesis of research: science, knowledge and society
In this session, we will focus on the very first steps of the implementation of a research project. We will work on basic concepts of research for development, know more about how to choose, or design, the right research methodology and also learn how the professional sector or research works (governance, institutions, funding, etc.).

II Project design: writing a scientific proposal
In this session, we work on the design of a project. Here again, focusing on the two complementary sides of the project design: its scientific side and its administrative side. Articulation of ideas and description of essential steps of a scientific project will be taught, as well as concrete and practical tools to identify and answer to a call for proposal.

III Implementing research: data collection, analysis and management of resources
In this session, the challenges of effective implementation of a research project will be addressed. Following the principle of combining scientific and administrative sides of research, we will learn how to manage human and financial resources in order to facilitate and enhance collection and analysis of data (R, SAS, or other statistical software, GIS…).

IV Producing knowledge: writing a research paper
In this session, the main focus will be on how to transform results of research into transferable knowledge within the scientific community. We will work on specific methods and tools supporting the elaboration of a state-of-the-art, the constitution of relevant bibliography (Zotero), identification of journals and development of writing skills (articulation of ideas, English language tricks…)

V Dissemination of knowledge: teaching and communication skills
In this session, we complete this first WANASEA’s cycle of capacity building workshops with the final step of the research project, centered on how to transfer and share the knowledge produced. Teaching skills (pedagogy and TICE) and communication skills will be taught to the participants, differentiating tools and methods depending on the audience (students, peers, decision makers…).

Methodology
Each training session will last 4 to 5 days and is designed to train approximately 20 people. The learning process is founded upon concrete and tangible activities related to trainees’ concerns. When possible, methods, techniques and exercises will be based on ideas, case studies, programs or projects brought by the trainees themselves, resulting in clear improvement of the latter. For this reason, substantial (but reasonable) preparatory work will be asked to the trainees, 2 to 3 weeks before the training.

For the training sessions, 4 or 5 trainers will be mobilized into dynamic working groups. We expect a high level commitment of the trainers and trainees attending seminars and transparency of the selection process.

PROGRAMME:

Genesis of research: Science, Knowledge and Society (WP3, 1/5)

Webinar in link (WP5, WP3)

Genesis of Research

MATERIALS FOR DOWNLOAD

Course Materials
Genesis of research: Science, Knowledge and Society – Booklet
Doing Research for Society: Superheroes and Institutions
Research Integrity: What it Means, Why it Is Important and How we Might Protect it
Genesis of Research : science, knowledge, society (Evaluation Form)
Genesis of Research : science, knowledge, society
(Pre) conditions for conducting research
FORMULATING A RESEARCH QUESTION AND IDENTIFYING LITERATURE
Research Methods Knowledge Base
Transdiciplinary by vocation!
Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices
Template for Research Presentation
TRAINING SESSION: Royal University of Law and Economics (26/11 – 30/11/2018)
TRAINING SESSION: Research Methodology, Royal University of Law and Economics (26/11 – 30/11/2018)
WANASEA Training Session 1: Survey Results

Restitution by trainees
URGENT SITUATION OF THE CONVERSION FROM MANGROVE FOREST TO AQUACULTURE IN MEKONG DELTA
Sustainable Waste Water Management in Phnom Penh
Plastics: A society problem
REUSE OF RECLAIMED WASTEWATER IN AGRICULTURE
Urbanization and Urban Stress in Phnom Penh

Genesis of research
WANASEA Training session 1 Minute
Webinar Genesis Research-Minute