Reimagining Development

How do practice based approaches shape the localisation of development?

9 November & December 2020

These Roundtables aimed to convene an initial network of academics, practitioners and policymakers to discuss how to shape a discourse on reimagining development from a research to praxis perspective. The key objectives of this work is are to contribute to understanding relevant disruptions in development practice, engage stakeholder perspectives, and identify critical lines of inquiry about current development research and practice. This builds on preparatory webinars and discussions conducted over the past two months along similar lines, also supported by IGD.

Summary notes of the discussion are available here., opens in a new window

Transforming Pacific Research: Collaboration, Co-Design and Agency

12 November 2020

There is long-held and fast-growing recognition that Pacific Islands research is best informed by local agency, and through collaborative and participatory practices supporting local research capacity, research leadership and resilience. In the current situation of international lockdown due to COVID-19, coupled with escalating climate change-related disaster response and preparedness needs, furthering such approaches is not just ethical, but urgently practical.

This participatory symposium, held by the Pacific Research Community at La Trobe University, funded through the Internal Revenue Grant Scheme and supported by the Institute for Global Development at the University of New South Wales, celebrated collaborative and participatory research in the Pacific region. A range of Pacific researchers shared their experiences before attendees were invited to join in the conversation. 

Complexity, Health and Human Development: Re-imagining practice in a post COVID world

22 October 2020

Factoring complexity and uncertainty into health and international development interventions are central to promoting effective outcomes for well-being. This is no more apparent than in the current COVID-19 pandemic. This webinar, held on 22 October, with Chris Mowles explored complexity in human development and explored how we can reimagine practice in a post-COVID world. Participants shared their insights in short break out groups following a presentation on complexity.

Hosted by the Institute for Human Security and Social Change at La Trobe University and Funded by the La Trobe Building Healthy Communities Research Focus Area and the Institute for Global Development at the University of New South Wales.

Harnessing the Science-Policy-Practice Interface: Insights from Experimental Development Practice in Nepal

While policy and scientific arenas recognise a need to improve the link between research and policy, realising a constructive science-policy-practice interface remains a challenge.

Responding to this challenge, this webinar, hosted by the Institute for Study and Development in Sydney and UNSW's Institute for Global Development, presented a conceptual framework from the “policy lab” methodology, which has been utilised in Nepal’s forestry and water governance sectors to generate significant policy reform. The appeal of the policy lab model stems from its orientation toward enhancing deliberative processes through the integration of action-research, expert analysis, and the synthesis of evidence relating to the specific policy or development issues in question.