Genesis of research: Science, Knowledge and Society (WP3, 1/5) Training Session at RULE Phnom Penh Cambodia, November 26th – December 1st 2018

Trainings, Trainings and Webinars, Work Package 3, WP3 1641

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 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) 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)