A report detailing the development of a university-based knowledge mobilization unit that enhances research outreach and engagement

Abstract

<jats:p> This field note presents reflections from the perspective of a knowledge mobilization (KMb) practitioner after 5 years of developing and delivering KMb services in a university-based environment. This field note is a “how to” based on experience from the field of KMb practice and places that experience in the context of academic literature. The paper concludes that KMb is not a single event or process but a system, a suite of services that work together to support the multi-directional connection of researchers with decision makers. The six KMb services that comprise the KMb system are informed by four broad KMb methods: producer push, user pull, knowledge exchange and co-production. Examples of each KMb service are provided along with key observations that allow others interested in developing institutional KMb support services to implement these services in their own context. The field note concludes with clear recommendations for individuals and organizations interested in developing their own system of KMb services.</jats:p>

An Institutional Process for Brokering Community-Campus Research Collaborations

“…The institutional knowledge-brokering process has become a central feature of our knowledge mobilization service (Phipps 2011) and addresses the need for appropriate infrastructure (Lomas, 2007) and institutional knowledge brokering (van Kammen, de Savigny & Sewankambo, 2006). The Knowledge Mobilization Unit provides a brokering service to identify and support sustainable research collaborations between academic (student and faculty) and non-academic research partners.…”

“…Once the parties meet and agree to collaborate on the opportunity, some activity ensues. Sometimes the requesting party is not seeking a collaborative research project but is seeking an expert (community or academic) to be part of an event such as a Lunch and Learn or KM in the AM (Phipps, 2011) or to be part of an expert panel or dialogue. One example of this was the involvement of a York University researcher as part of an expert panel with representatives from York Region community agencies including Kinark Child and Family Services, York Region District School Board, and Catholic Children's Aid Society to provide input into the development of a community data-sharing platform.…”

“…Knowledge brokering is supported by a help desk similar to that provided by the University of Brighton's Community University Partnership Program (Rodriguez & Millican, 2008). As summarized previously (Phipps, 2011), knowledge brokering via a help desk provides a service whereby community (usually community service agencies but also school boards, police services, faith groups, and government agencies) or campus (faculty or students) members can obtain support for developing a community-campus research collaboration. The knowledge broker seeks to understand the needs of the requesting party and then to make a match between the requesting party and a potential collaborator from the other sector.…”

“…We have previously described in detail our knowledge mobilization services (Phipps, 2011) including clear language research summaries (Phipps, Jensen, Johnny & Myers, 2012) and social media . Consistent with the call for more knowledge-brokering methodologies (Meyer, 2010), this paper presents a detailed description of York University's knowledge-brokering activities.…”

Knowledge Co-Creation and Assistive Technology

“…For instance (emphasis added): "knowledge brokers support an interactive process between researchers and decision-makers so that they can co-produce new knowledge to inform policy and/or practise decisions" (Phipps, 2011). We felt hesitant because we felt that KMb services surely were intended for partnerships with the "large-scale" decision-makers of the AT landscape (as identified in the Section "Non-Academic Impacts of Assistive Technology Scholarship").…”