An Institutional Process for Brokering Community-Campus Research Collaborations

David J Phipps,Michael Johnny,Jane Wedlock

doi:10.15402/esj.v1i1.39

David J Phipps, Michael Johnny + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15402/esj.v1i1.39

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Abstract

Knowledge mobilization seeks to identify and support authentic research collaborations between community and university so that benefits of the research accrue to both partners. Knowledge brokering is a key knowledge mobilization mechanism that helps community and university partners connect and build relationships in order to share expertise for mutual opportunity. There remains a need to describe in detail the typical knowledge brokering devices and methodologies. This paper presents a detailed description of York Universityâ€™s knowledge brokering service which is based on eight years of knowledge mobilization practice. The process is broken into 5 broad stages: 1) in progress; 2) no match; 3) match and no activity; 4) match and activity; 5) match and project. Stage 5 includes a step to identify the non-academic impacts of the collaborative research project. This process is illustrated using examples from York Universityâ€™s practice in which a match was brokered for 82% of the 342 knowledge mobilization opportunities received between 2006-2014. York University partners with United Way York Region (UWYR) to create a regional approach to knowledge mobilization supports. This paper illustrates the impacts on community and university knowledge mobilization partners following the introduction of a community-based knowledge broker at UWYR.Â

Highlights

Introduction and InterestOnce a match has been identified, the knowledge broker makes an introduction between the two parties
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 (Phipps, Jensen & Myers, 2012)
We present the impact of partnering with United Way York Region (UWYR) to invest in a community-based knowledge broker and reflect on how these initiatives help to create democratic research partnerships that diffuse power between community and university contexts

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and InterestOnce a match has been identified, the knowledge broker makes an introduction between the two parties. We present the impact of partnering with United Way York Region (UWYR) to invest in a community-based knowledge broker and reflect on how these initiatives help to create democratic research partnerships that diffuse power between community and university contexts. Greater clarity on the process of institutional knowledge brokering will provide other universities and communities with a tool to forge research collaborations that can have social, environmental and/or economic impacts as well as academic impacts.

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Conclusion