Transcript Best practices in Partnerships

Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada
Conseil de recherches en
sciences humaines du Canada
Best Practices in Partnerships
Gail Zboch, Senior Program Officer
Strategic Programs and Joint Initiatives
Context
− SSHRC has funded research partnerships in the
past, both through short-term funding
opportunities and through long-term initiatives
(CURA, MCRI, etc.)
− SSHRC has also funded research networks
through joint initiatives (CISS RDC, Metropolis,
etc.)
− These partnerships have resulted in fruitful
collaboration, rich research findings and
sustainable, long-term relationships
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Best Practices in Building Partnerships
− Communication
− Governance structures
− Stakeholder involvement
− Training opportunities
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Communication
− Ensure effective communication with all interested
parties (e.g., researchers, partners, general public)
− Ongoing liaison with stakeholders
–
Full-time project co-ordinator or facilitator
• Works for the partnership project
• Point of contact for stakeholders
• Circulates newsletters and email updates
− Development of common tools for information sharing
with stakeholders as well as with greater audiences
–
–
Websites, web portals, etc.
Social networking sites
• Facebook, Twitter, Second Life
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Governance Structures
− Provide a clear, well-developed governance structure
(e.g. steering committee, sub-committees, working
groups)
− Use a decision-making process that incorporates all
stakeholders
–
Ensuring the active participation of all stakeholders at
the table
− Ensure conflict resolution mechanisms are in place
–
Managing competing interests and priorities in the
partnership
− Develop performance evaluation frameworks in
collaboration with stakeholders
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Ensuring that the deliverables and activities are carried
out according to schedule
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Stakeholder Involvement
− Ensure the active participation of all stakeholders
over the course of the project
− Define roles and responsibilites for all partners at the
start
− Establish common goals and priorities in consultation
with stakeholders
− Delegate tasks according to capacity and expertise
− Share resources equitably, and ensure a reasonable
“buy-in” on the project from the partners
• Cash or in-kind contributions, including:
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Personnel
Access to facilities or facilitating interaction with other
organizations/communities
Knowledge mobilization activities
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Training Opportunities
− Ensure the meaningful involvement of students
– Working with partnering organizations
– Hands-on skills
− Ensure capacity-building and learning, not only
for students, but all involved in the project, by:
– Integrating partnering organizations into project
plans
• For example, training personnel from partnering
organizations to conduct interviews, organize
events, present at conferences, etc.
– Fostering the exchange of knowledge and
expertise between all the stakeholders of the
project
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Helpful Hints: Developing a Partnership
Project
− Develop plans to ensure the sustainability of the
partnership beyond the tenure of the grant
− Set realistic, attainable goals
– Validate objectives and plans with the
stakeholders even in the development phases
− Ensure that the project has the necessary
stakeholders on board to successfully achieve its
goals
– Number of partners: quality over quantity
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Helpful Hints: Developing a Partnership
Project
− Continue to recruit new partners over the course
of the project
– Identify potential interested partners through
networking opportunities, including:
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External events
Contacts in the field
Existing projects and partnerships
Social networking
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Some Helpful Documents
− A formalized partnership document such as a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
− Letters of engagement that clearly outline the
partner’s commitments, both financial and in-kind
–
Tips for partner letters:
1. Avoid “template” letters
–
Ensure that all letters are personalized and demonstrate a
knowledge of the project
2. Address the letters to the principal investigator/project
director and refer to the project title
− An assessment or self-assessment mechanism that
allows the team to evaluate its activities and the
quality of the partnership
− A common reporting system
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Useful Resources – Examples of projects
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Cluster: Network for Business Sustainability (Dr. Tima Bansal,
University of Western Ontario) http://www.nbs.net/
−
CURA: Life stories of Montrealers displaced by war,
genocide, and other human rights violations, (Dr. Steven
High, Canada Research Chair in Public History, Department
of History, Concordia University) www.lifestoriesmontreal.ca
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Knowledge Impact in Society: For the list of all projects
funded visit: www.kis.usask.ca/about/projects.html
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MCRI: The Asia Pacific Dispute Resolution Project (Dr. Pitman
Potter, University of British Columbia)
www.apdr.iar.ubc.ca/intro.php
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Useful Resources
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CIROP MEASURE: Measuring community impacts of researchoriented partnerships. www.impactmeasure.org
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Social Economy Hub: List of resources and guides on
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The ARUC-ÉS and RQRP-ÉS: Model and Guide for Knowledge
Mobilization in the Context of Research Partnerships.
www.aruc-es.uqam.ca/Nospublications/Autresdocuments
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CU Expo 2011: Canadian-led conference designed to
showcase the best community-university partnerships
worldwide. www.cuexpo2011.ca
community-university partnerships.
www.socialeconomyhub.ca/?q=content/communityuniversity-partnerships-research
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Thank you / Merci
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: 613-943-1007
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