- 1. Achieving greater use and impact of research through the
learning alliance approach(and other multi-stakeholder processes)
Ewen Le Borgne, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2
2. Outline
- The context a complex sector in a changing world
- The idea multi-stakeholder processes
- The works what it takes, results, challenges
- The future what is really at stake here?
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 3. Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 4. The context (1):a complex sector in a
changing world
- Wicked problems need integrated solutions
-
- Poverty is a wicked problem
-
- Urban water management = wicked problem within a complex
system
-
- How can research help reduce fragmentation?
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 5. The context (2):a
complex sector in a changing world
- Potential research bottlenecks
-
- Addressing demand/ felt problems?
-
- Beyond the island of success / Scaling up?
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 6. The context (3):a
complex sector in a changing world
- The hampering environment
-
- The challenge: Creating coherence through common understanding,
joint vision, joint action ( ownership )
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 7. Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 8.
- MSPs that encourage social change and cooperation
-
- - Resource centre networks
-
- - Multi-stakeholder forums
The idea (1):Multiple Stakeholder Processes Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 9. The idea (2):The Learning Alliance model
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2
- Addressing common problems
- Diverse types of stakeholders
- Connected at various levels
- Learning, innovating, scaling up
- Doing thingsdifferently , not doing different things: action
research, short cycle communication, learning and
dissemination
Innovation Scaling up National platform District platform Global
platform Global National Intermediate Community 10. KEY CONCEPTS IN
LAs 1 Different Institutional Levels 2 Multiple Stakeholders
(roles) Global National Intermediate Community/end-user Donors Line
ministries National Government Universities Banks Companies INGOs
Offices of line ministries Local government Donor projects Local
NGOs Local private sector Local Banks Extension officers Mechanics
Donors Multilateral orgs. Advocacy orgs. Learning orgs Men/Women
Rich/poor Domestic Productive 11. Global National Intermediate
Community Donors Line ministries National platform Universities
Banks Companies Local government Offices of line ministries Donor
projects Local NGOs INGOs Local private sector Local Banks
Extension officers Mechanics Donors Multilateral orgs. Advocacy
orgs. Learning orgs Men/Women Rich/poor Domestic Productive Global
platform National Government Intermediate platform Community
platforms 3 Platforms Learning alliances: Linked stakeholder
platforms At key institutional levels Supported by external
facilitation Engaging in learning action research 5 Communication 4
Facilitation 12. The idea (3):The Learning Alliance model
-
- Assessing situation, demand and expressing needs
-
- Communication strategy early on: meetings, website, working
papers, exposure visits etc.
-
- Outcomes monitored using appropriate methods
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 13. The idea (4):The
Learning Alliance model The intensity ladder Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 Partial exchange of information Joint
discussion Collaborative research Joint work planning Systematic
learningwith common vision Joint learning Concerted actionJoint
action Exerting influence at scale Joint advocacy and impact
Implementation at scale Joint planning 14.
- Empowers project: MENA region
- RiPPLE project: Ethiopia & Nile region
- Governance, productive uses of water
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 Some examples of
Learning Alliances SWITCH intercity IUWM LA platform for inter-city
learning Alexandria LA platform Belo Horizonte LA Platform
Birmingham LA platform Accra LA platform 15. Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 16. The works (1): What it takes?
- Engaging key stakeholders
- Structured action learning
- Recognised legitimacy of various
- knowledge sources (local vs. scientific)
- Deal consciously with politics and power
- Develop capacity for participation
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 17. The works (2):
Tangible results Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2
- EMPOWERS: Greater inclusion, improved governance (guidelines
and other outputs)
- MUS: Improved self-reliance, more funding for MUS
- SWITCH: Municipal recognition of research, scaling up the LA
approach (Poland)
- RiPPLE: Increased scheme rehabilitation, more funding for WASH,
national learning forum
- Generally: valuing and promoting knowledge generated together
and research (capacity)
18. The works (3): Challenges?
- Managing high expectations
- Keeping up momentum / interest
- Bridging different interests, cultures and approaches
- Accommodating project design and demand-led research
- Funding for facilitation of learning alliances is not
secure
- How to demonstrate the value?
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 19. Istanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 20. The future: What is at stake here?
- Need for a clear hypothesis of change / intervention logic
- Increased attention to slow / qualitative development
- Clever proposal development and flexible donors to design
demand-led science
- Underestimated costs of multi-stakeholder processes
- Social learning and coordination for an effective sector
- Tailored impact evaluation is vital for learning projects
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 21.
- SWITCH:www.switchurbanwater.eu/learningalliances
- RiPPLE:www.rippleethiopia.org
- WASHCost:www.irc.nl/page/39103
- Ewen Le Borgne ( [email_address] ) and any other contributor
from this session
- And fill up the follow-up form to be kept posted!
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 22. Example: city of
Lodz, Poland Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 23. Lodz
Research focus
- Natural approaches to river engineering: based onecohydrology
principles
- Restoring rivers, reducing flooding,reducing the levels of
pollution in rivers
- Sewage sludge for biomass energy
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 24. Linking science and
demand
- Linking research, demonstrations at scale and learning
- Implementation through city office, developers
- Finding opportunities to scale up and have more impact
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 25. Doing science
differently
- Views of a wastewater treatment plant manager:
-
- first attempt to improve communication between the different
organisations and to provide a cross-institutional platform to
share information and discuss water and sanitation issues
-
- overall picture of how everything is working together in the
city
-
- addressing the issues in an integrated way
Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session 6.2.2 26.
- Innovative ways of tracking and learning from the Learning
Alliance approach:
- Monitoring using s coring ladders for tracking qualitative
change.
- Process documentation: systematically reflect, analyse and
discover patterns that help or hinder change (interviews, articles,
photos and film).
Doing science differently: assessing progressIstanbul, 20 March
2009 - session 6.2.2 27. Istanbul, 20 March 2009 - session
6.2.2