Context
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 researchers, 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 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. While the first and second ones were centered on “Genesis of research: science, knowledge and society” and “Project design:writing a scientific proposal”, this third one focuses on “Implementing research: methodological and management challenges”. It is co-organized by the Center for Research and Expertise on Education and Development (CREED, France) and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC, Phnom Penh).
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.
Objective
The main objective of this third training session is to address the challenges of effective implementation of a research project in the field of WNRM among WANASEA’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). More specifically, the goals are to strengthen the capacities of young researchers to implement multidisciplinary research activities and to improve the capacities of their institution to support the implementation of a project.
Target groups
Both academic and administrative staff, who have implemented a research project in recent years or are currently involved in the implementation of a research project related to WNRW, are targeted for training.
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. Trainees must come with a proven experience of project implementation. It is a condition to be selected.
Topic: Implementing research: methodological and management challenges
In this session, we will focus on different elements found in the implementation of a research project, which are not directly linked to scientific disciplines. Indeed, whatever the topic and/or the disciplines of a project, some questions or issues related to the research process in general, are shared.
Our objective being to address in priority the needs of the participants, the topics of this session will be precisely defined once the trainees are identified. Nevertheless, the session will deal with subjects such as:
- State of the art / search of secondary data
- Data collection (quanti/quali)
- Management of financial resources
- Management of human resources
- Ethics
- Intellectual property
- Reference management tools
- Monitoring of activities
- Reporting
- Contract management
This session will help to develop the core skill of a scientist and to identify the conditions for its institution to set up some administrative support for researchers.
Methodology
This training session will use a teaching methodology inspired by the reverse classroom method. It means that very few lectures will be given. The knowledge shared will be found through the experience of the trainees and also through collective thinking and brainstorming.
- Pre-course: pre-assessment will be sent to participants to determine their existing knowledge, skills and interests. Reading material will be sent accordingly.
- As an introduction, a webinar will be organized about one week before the session, being the opportunity to hear from experienced researchers about the challenges faced through the implementation of a project.
- The training session will last 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, 2 or 3 trainers will be mobilized. We expect a high level commitment of the trainers and trainees attending seminars and transparency of the selection process.
Calendar and milestones
- From 16 to 28 October: call for applications open (see application form next page)
- 29 October: Wanasea’s members send to ITC/CREED up to 5 applications
- 5 November: selection of the trainees and beginning of the pre-class activities.
