Improve Knowledge Exchange Research Articles

"Math is a pain!": Understanding challenges and needs of the Machine Learning community on Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow (SO) is a widely recognized online question-and-answer platform for programming, which has also fostered a substantial community dedicated to machine learning (ML), providing a space for both novices and experts to exchange ideas and find solutions to ML-related problems. However, as a relative minority of this online programming platform, research has demonstrated lower engagement in the ML community, but it remains largely unexplored to understand what hinders the engagement and contribution from ML users' perspectives. This paper presents an empirical study based on 22 hours of semi-structured interviews and 131 survey responses with users on SO and reveals the key factors that may lead to the lower response rate and extended waiting time for ML questions on SO, which includes the unique quality requirement for posting ML questions, the discrepancy between time invested and benefits gained, the dispersed nature of the ML community across various platforms and the desired improvement for SO. Moreover, the qualitative study reveals a declining friendliness in SO's culture over time; the subsequent quantitative study corroborates that newcomers frequently encounter stress when posting and answering ML questions, even though this stress diminishes with increased experience. Additionally, we also explored the potential influence of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) on online question-and-answer platforms, specifically focusing on ML Q&A. We hope the results of this study can pave the way for enhancing the experience of ML users on online platforms, ultimately facilitating improved knowledge exchange and collaboration within the ML domain.

1.Q. Round table: Primary healthcare workforce crisis in Europe: global policy discourse and national implementation

Abstract Background Primary healthcare (PHC) has emerged as a powerful global concept, but little attention has been directed towards the pivotal role of the healthcare workforce and the diverse institutional setting in which they work. Recent WHO efforts have underscored the challenges in aligning the global PHC-oriented model with national health systems, highlighting the need for tailored approaches to fulfil diverse needs and contexts. Although significant progress has been made in advancing PHC, some gaps persist, particularly surrounding the integration of PHC and healthcare workforce debates and its prioritisation within national health agendas. These gaps lead to disconnects between PHC policy implementation and workforce considerations, exasperating the existing workforce crisis and obstructing effective service delivery. Objectives This workshop bridges the gap between PHC workforce policy and the ongoing healthcare workforce crisis, focusing on the European region and different types of health systems, socio-economic conditions, health labour markets and workforce compositions. We apply a health system and multi-level governance approach, arguing the need for greater attention to the implementation of global policy concepts and the diverse national and regional conditions, interests, and needs. The workshop begins with an overview of the PHC workforce situation, presenting novel results drawn from European comparative research and nine selected country case studies, followed by a panel discussion. The panellists provide in-depth evidence on various PHC workforce challenges and introduce illustrative examples of policy interventions and good-practice models coming from the case countries. Insights from the WHO Centre for Primary Health Care advance the debate by highlighting strategies and capacity for transformative PHC workforce policies, and the need for further investigation to critically align global and national approaches. The policy recommendations emerging from the panel will be critically reflected in a plenary discussion. The workshop will stimulate debate and improve knowledge exchange across countries, in particular in the WHO European region, as well as between research, policy and practice. It will strengthen both the PHC model and the healthcare workforce, and finally advance the building of resilient health systems. Key messages • Shift the primary healthcare debate from idealistic attributes to actionable implementation strategies, emphasising policy dynamics, political contexts, and diverse stakeholder interests. • Understand the various PHC-oriented models and their dynamics to determine the necessary quantity, competencies, and composition of HCWs and how they can be governed effectively to implement PHC.

How do online reviews influence answer adoption in virtual Q&A communities? A signaling theory perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact of online reviews on answer adoption in virtual Q&A communities, with an eye toward extending knowledge exchange and community management.Design/methodology/approachOnline reviews contain rich cognitive and emotional information about community members regarding the provided answers. As feedback information on answers, it is crucial to explore how online reviews affect answer adoption. Based on signaling theory, a research model reflecting the influence of online reviews on answer adoption is established and empirically examined by using secondary data with 69,597 Q&A data and user data collected from Zhihu. Meanwhile, the moderating effects of the informational and emotional consistency of reviews and answers are examined.FindingsThe negative binomial regression results show that both answer-related signals (informational support and emotional support) and answerers-related signals (answerers’ reputations and expertise) positively impact answer adoption. The informational consistency of reviews and answers negatively moderates the relationships among information support, emotional support and answer adoption but positively moderates the effect of answerers’ expertise on answer adoption. Furthermore, the emotional consistency of reviews and answers positively moderates the effect of information support and answerers’ reputations on answer adoption.Originality/valueAlthough previous studies have investigated the impacts of answer content, answer source credibility and personal characteristics of knowledge seekers on answer adoption in virtual Q&A communities, few have examined the impact of online reviews on answer adoption. This study explores the impacts of informational and emotional feedback in online reviews on answer adoption from a signaling theory perspective. The results not only provide unique ideas for community managers to optimize community design and operation but also inspire community users to provide or utilize knowledge, thereby reducing knowledge search costs and improving knowledge exchange efficiency.

Mapping the evolution of university-industry collaboration: A systematic literature review from 2000 to 2022

This research aims to improve knowledge exchange and innovation through collaborations between universities and industries in South-East European Countries (SEECs). The region benefits from better collaboration, and understanding factors such as proximity, motivations, and challenges is crucial. The study begins by suggesting that geographical closeness may influence the strength of university-industry ties and that specific conditions in SEECs may either support or impede these relationships. The paper proposes a new University-Industry Collaboration (UIC) model tailored for SEECs, built upon a review of literature from 2000 to 2022. This review examines factors like location, organizational approaches, types of knowledge exchange, key motivators and barriers, and the evolving role of universities in the region. The study introduces a specialized UIC model that could enhance regional cooperation, emphasizing strategies to overcome barriers and align university and industry goals. By extensively reviewing existing research, the paper contributes valuable insights into UIC in SEECs, aiming to deepen the understanding of these collaborations in the region.

Mis-implementation of evidence-based behavioural health practices in primary care: lessons from randomised trials in Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) within service systems is critical to population-level health improvements - but also challenging, especially for complex behavioral health interventions in low-resource settings. "Mis-implementation" refers to poor outcomes from an EBP implementation effort; mis-implementation outcomes are an important, but largely untapped, source of information about how to improve knowledge exchange. We present mis-implementation cases from three pragmatic trials of behavioral health EBPs in U.S. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). We adapted the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and its Outcomes Addendum into a framework for mis-implementation and used it to structure the case summaries with information about the EBP and trial, mis-implementation outcomes, and associated determinants (barriers and facilitators). We compared the three cases to identify shared and unique mis-implementation factors. Across cases, there was limited adoption and fidelity to the interventions, which led to eventual discontinuation. Barriers contributing to mis-implementation included intervention complexity, low buy-in from overburdened providers, lack of alignment between providers and leadership, and COVID-19-related stressors. Mis-implementation occurred earlier in cases that experienced both patient- and provider-level barriers, and that were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multi-level determinants contributed to EBP mis-implementation in FQHCs, limiting the ability of these health systems to benefit from knowledge exchange. To minimize mis-implementation, knowledge exchange strategies should be designed around common, core barriers but also flexible enough to address a variety of site-specific contextual factors and should be tailored to relevant audiences such as providers, patients, and/or leadership.

Obstacles to co-producing evaluation knowledge: power, control and voluntary sector dynamics

Background: Despite literature recognising the huge potential of co-production as a positive approach to evidence creation, there is a dearth of evidence about how co-production principles can problematise knowledge exchange, specifically in evaluation work. Aims: To critically examine three evaluation projects commissioned by voluntary sector stakeholders to illustrate challenges in knowledge exchange linked to the co-production of evidence exchange. Methods: We critically compare the challenges experienced in co-producing evidence across three evaluations, reflecting on power dynamics, co-productive ways of working and emotions, which all impact upon successful knowledge exchange. Findings: In Project 1, internal monitoring data required for reporting was not shared. In Project 2, the commissioners’ need to evidence success resulted in limited knowledge sharing, with valuable learning about partnership issues and service delivery held internally. In Project 3, evidence demonstrating the failure of a local authority model of area management for community members was partially discredited by statutory stakeholders (state actors). Discussion and conclusions: Bias in evaluation reporting and academic publication can arise from current knowledge exchange processes, including co-production. Voluntary sector funding is problematic as stakeholders delivering programmes also commission evaluations. Knowledge exchange is influenced by vested interests arising from the political context in which data is gathered. Evaluators can face aggression, challenge and unfair treatment resulting in damaged relationships, and failures in knowledge exchange. The emotional elements of knowledge exchange remain under-reported. Varying and shifting power dynamics also limit knowledge exchange. Changing research practice, to support power sharing, needs further exploration to facilitate improved knowledge exchange.

Assessing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder agency in coastal governance to enhance climate resilience

Coastal governance plays a central role in building the capacities for adaptation and transformation towards climate resilience in coastal social-ecological systems (SES). However, enhancing climate resilience requires effective coordination between organisations involved in coastal governance. Therefore, more information about the role and agency of organisations and the relationships between them is needed. This paper aims to improve the understanding of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder agency for enhancing climate resilience in coastal SES, using a case study in Algoa Bay, South Africa. We apply and combine stakeholder analysis and social network analysis, which is currently underrepresented in climate change adaptation research. Results suggest that different top-down and bottom-up processes are needed to improve knowledge exchange and enhance climate resilience in the coastal governance of the Algoa Bay SES. These include improved leadership, effective knowledge transfer, integration of climate information, support for bridging organisations, and inclusivity of marginalised stakeholders. These suggestions may also be more broadly applicable and transferable to similar coastal SES. Ultimately, the results of this study shed light on network structures in coastal governance facing climate change and advance research on combining stakeholder analysis and social network analysis in climate change adaptation and environmental governance research.

Navigating the stormy seas of building ‘trust’ as a boundary organisation connecting marine science with policy and management

Improving knowledge exchange among scientists and decision-makers is a critical component of navigating ocean sustainability challenges. Boundary organisations are one approach to facilitating knowledge exchange and influencing marine policy and management. However, to effectively do so, boundary organisations must navigate various challenges that can undermine the extent to which they are considered as trusted by partners. At present, there is a lack of specific guidance on how boundary organisations can navigate these challenges and build trust. We seek to address this gap empirically via in-depth qualitative analysis, using the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as a case study. Through interviews with requesters of ICES advice (i.e. the users of the knowledge), we sought to understand (i) the benefits that requesters derived from working with ICES and (ii) the factors that can affect the extent to which requesters trust the advice generated and provided by ICES. Our results show that requesters gain numerous benefits from requesting advice from ICES (e.g., being able to rely on an independent scientific body, receiving best available scientific evidence, and being engaged in processes which enable sharing of expertise and scientific knowledge). We also identified factors that contribute to increased trust in ICES (e.g., ICES processes, good relationships between requesters and ICES, and the requester's ability to understand ICES advice). Conversely, trust in ICES was negatively affected when there was a production of poor-quality advice, a lack of transparency, and when ICES advice went beyond its original remit. In presenting these insights from ICES, this study provides guidance for organisations operating at the interface of marine science and policy and helps them to navigate the stormy seas associated with maintaining trust.

Drivers and barriers to knowledge exchange through an envisioned online platform for transdisciplinary research projects

Transdisciplinary research requires improved knowledge exchange between science and practice. Such improvements include diversifying and scaling up knowledge accessing and sharing through online platforms. We conducted twenty interviews informed by behavioral science methods to clarify the aim, components, and participants' perspectives on the usefulness of the proposed components for an envisioned platform. Participants were members of a Dutch community of practice for river studies and a research programme into integrated and collaborative management. The proposed concept included storylines, data repositories, user profiles, interactive visualisations, and collaborative sessions. Interview results include drivers and barriers from prospective users that we translated into requirements to increase the potential adoption and effective use of online platforms with similar components. From the experiences with implementing these requirements, we provide recommendations for enabling primary drivers: (i) Combining online and offline interactions to provide various options for knowledge exchange between disciplines and organisations. (ii) Sharing the content and application of the research with a non-scientific audience. (iii) Reusing existing online platforms as much as possible without restricting any to improve the reuse of research methods and results. We further provide recommendations to overcome the main barriers: (i) Partnering with various communities to extend knowledge exchange. (ii) Following a participatory approach to improve the design and content while considering the time and resources that such a process entails. (iii) Providing flexible options to contribute and tailor overviews of available knowledge in different ways according to prospective users' roles in practice. (iv) Purposefully facilitating online interactions according to the transdisciplinary process-intended attributes.

A survey of British sheep farmers: Practices, opinions and knowledge surrounding the management of sheep scab

Ovine psoroptic mange (commonly known as sheep scab) is, arguably, one of the most important ectoparasitic diseases of sheep in the UK. Although research has been conducted on the practices and knowledge of British sheep farmers regarding the management of sheep scab, recent data is limited. During October 2021 an online survey was completed by 725 British sheep farmers. Most respondents farmed in England (63.0%, 457/725), followed by Wales (20.6%, 149/725) and Scotland (16.4%, 119/725). Over half (53.0%, 384/725) of the respondents had experienced sheep scab in their flocks before, and 38.3% (147/384) of respondents experienced sheep scab twice or more in the previous ten years. The estimated prevalence of sheep scab from these surveyed farmers was 10.9% (79/725). Of the farmers who had experienced sheep scab before, only 36.2% (139/384) reported using skin scrapes and 12.5% (48/384) reported using blood tests for diagnosis. Over three-quarters of farmers quarantined all new sheep (76.6%; 498/650), but fewer quarantined returning sheep (28.6%; 83/290). Many of the respondents (43.7%, 252/577) did not quarantine new sheep for the suggested minimum 21 days. In addition, only 53.0% (384/725) of respondents answered all three of the knowledge questions regarding sheep scab correctly. The analysis illustrates that there is scope to improve the use of diagnostics, which suggests that misdiagnosis of sheep scab may be high and thus inappropriate treatments may be used, or treatments may not be used at all. It also demonstrated that there is scope for improvement in farmers' knowledge regarding sheep scab, particularly that sheep scab could be detected via a blood test and that the disease could present without visible signs. Our results further support that sheep scab is a large-scale endemic issue, potentially with an increasing prevalence in Great Britain. Future control interventions need to focus on improving knowledge exchange, raising awareness of best practice controls to ensure that better management strategies are employed by farmers, including improved control at livestock markets to reduce the national transmission and thus focus on coordinated control interventions.

1.L. Workshop: Building capacity for a resilient and healthy post-COVID health workforce

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic added new challenges to health workforce resilience. High workload, increased risk of COVID infection and continuing stress threaten the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers (HCWs) and increase existing (gendered) inequalities, thus reinforcing health labour market problems. Investment in the health workforce and prioritisation of the health and wellbeing needs of healthcare workers in health policy and pandemic recovery plans is therefore called for by the WHO, the European Union and others. However, health systems and policymakers across countries have not sufficiently understood the importance of HCWs. Objectives This workshop brings health workforce needs onto the health policy agenda. It seeks to build capacity for a resilient and healthy health workforce, setting the focus on protection and preparedness of HCWs and their individual wellbeing, and reduction of gendered inequalities. The following major questions will be addressed: What do we know about COVID-19 and the health and wellbeing of HCWs? What skills are needed to respond to new demands? What policy approaches are available to improve protection, preparedness and mental health support of HCWs? How to integrate gender equality and the situation of migrant/refugee HCWs in these approaches, and finally build capacity for effective health workforce governance and its implementation. The workshop introduces novel results drawn from European comparative research and country case studies. It connects policy and practice, as well as health system and individual HCW needs. A number of important policy recommendations are emerging from the research. (1) The health and wellbeing of the health workforce must be addressed systematically across all levels of health policy and governance, including the organisation settings. (2) Health systems must take responsibility and leadership in responding to health workforce needs. (3) Important lessons to be learned from HCWs’ experiences should guide future health workforce policy and pandemic recovery plans. (4) Participatory governance and inclusion of HCWs must be strengthened, including gender equality and diversity. The workshop will stimulate critical debate and improve knowledge exchange across countries and between researchers. It will contribute to strengthen resilience of the health workforce and health systems, and to build back better after COVID-19 in a fair and equitable manner. Key messages • Health workforce needs and mental health support must become policy priorities and addressed as part of health system resilience. • Action has to be taken to strengthen participatory health workforce governance sensitive to new needs.

The International Conference on Music Education Technology 2023: A report

This report provides an overview of the organization and content of the International Conference on Music Education Technology 2023 (ICMdT2023), a hybrid event hosted towards the end of the global lockdown in early 2023. Under the theme ‘Unfold the Future of Music Education through Technology’, the Conference attracted 640 academics, researchers, practitioners and professionals from different regions, all of whom participated online or in person to exchange and share their experiences and research projects on various aspects of music education through the use of technology. It included 36 workshops and paper presentations, with topics ranging from digital pedagogies for teaching and learning music online to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and interdisciplinary approaches for music education. Challenges faced by the organizing committee are outlined, coupled with some recommendations for those wishing to host similar events that can improve knowledge exchange and encourage delegates’ networking experiences.

Towards effective ecological restoration: Investigating knowledge co‐production on fish–habitat relationships with Aquatic Habitat Toronto

AbstractFor decades, the working paradigm for ecological restoration was independent operation of knowledge generators (researchers and scientists) and knowledge users (decision makers and practitioners), resulting in a knowledge–action gap. Knowledge co‐production is a collaborative process where research is conducted in a respectful and engaging manner with continuous knowledge exchange and heralded as a means of bridging the divide.Aquatic Habitat Toronto (AHT) is a unique consensus‐based partnership with diverse member agencies that engage in restoration ecology and practice along the Toronto Waterfront of Lake Ontario, Canada. Here, we examine the process that AHT uses to enable knowledge co‐production and identify associated benefits and challenges.Benefits to AHT's consensus‐based partnership include advanced notice of projects, access to diverse expertise and local knowledge, increased understanding of fish habitat, adoption of novel restoration techniques and more effective restoration and improved knowledge exchange, collectively mitigating the knowledge–action divide.Challenges of knowledge co‐production facilitated by AHT include consistent agency participation and meaningful engagement, closed or exclusive networks, time commitments and limited financial resources, evolving political landscapes, stability of funding cycles and issues stemming from varying goals and relevancy.Key recommendations for ensuring that knowledge co‐production results in actionable science and for maximizing the effectiveness of ecological restoration using AHT's format include securing long‐term and stable funding, developing relationships across agencies and allied partners, engaging early, outlining goals/objectives collaboratively, conducting before and after scientific monitoring, minimizing personal biases, periodically reviewing partnerships to maximize inclusivity, sharing successes (and failures) broadly, and providing open data. AHT embraces an approach that includes integrated planning with multi‐jurisdictional support with diverse partners at a tractable scale and we argue that this should be the standard model of aquatic ecosystem management.

A knowledge exchange framework to connect research, policy, and practice, developed through the example of the Chinese island of Hainan

Tropical coastal ecosystems face increasingly severe environmental challenges. Promoting evidence-based management is one way to address these. In this paper, we propose a knowledge exchange framework to promote the uptake of scientific evidence by policy and practice and discuss its effectiveness through on-the-ground implementation on the Chinese tropical island of Hainan. The framework comprises four main components: context analysis, framework building, implementation of knowledge brokering strategies, and monitoring and evaluation. This simple and process-centric framework can serve as a tool to facilitate the transition from "traditional" science to "societally-engaged" science. Notable barriers to the successful application of the framework are discussed, specifically the nature of knowledge, the institutional and cultural context, and resource factors. It is also observed that relevant, legitimate, and accessible research evidence and the involvement of a suitable intermediary play essential roles. We conclude that society has to be empowered as a whole, through institutional reforms of research and funding organizations towards providing a broader basis for improved knowledge exchange between science and society. Such a knowledge exchange framework and case study can provide other scientists and stakeholders with a clear, standardized way to connect science, policy, and practice in two-way interactions, which could increase clarity and understanding in the field of knowledge exchange.

How can the European Common Agricultural Policy help halt biodiversity loss? Recommendations by over 300 experts

AbstractThe European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has not halted farmland biodiversity loss. The CAP post‐2023 has a new ‘‘Green Architecture,’’ including the new ‘‘Eco‐scheme’’ instrument. How can this new Green Architecture help tackle the biodiversity crisis? Through 13 workshops and an online survey, over 300 experts from 23 European Member States addressed this question.From experts’ contributions, key principles for success include preserving and restoring (semi)natural elements and extensive grasslands; improving spatial planning and landscape‐scale implementation, including through collective actions; implementing result‐based approaches; and improved knowledge exchange. To maximize the effectiveness of Eco‐scheme for biodiversity, experts highlighted the need to prioritize evidence‐based actions, allocate a sufficient budget for biodiversity, and incentivize management improvements through higher payment levels. Additionally, stronger coherence is needed among CAP instruments.For effective CAP implementation, the European Commission and the Member States should expand investments in biodiversity monitoring, knowledge transfer, and capacity‐building within relevant institutions. The remaining risks in the CAP's ability to reverse the loss of farmland biodiversity still require better design, closer monitoring, greater transparency, and better engagement with farmers. Additionally, greater involvement of scientists is needed to guide the CAP toward restoring farmland biodiversity while accounting for synergies and trade‐offs with other objectives.

Lessons from bright-spots for advancing knowledge exchange at the interface of marine science and policy

Evidence-informed decision-making is in increasing demand given growing pressures on marine environments. A way to facilitate this is by knowledge exchange among marine scientists and decision-makers. While many barriers are reported in the literature, there are also examples whereby research has successfully informed marine decision-making (i.e., ‘bright-spots’). Here, we identify and analyze 25 bright-spots from a wide range of marine fields, contexts, and locations to provide insights into how to improve knowledge exchange at the interface of marine science and policy. Through qualitative surveys we investigate what initiated the bright-spots, their goals, and approaches to knowledge exchange. We also seek to identify what outcomes/impacts have been achieved, the enablers of success, and what lessons can be learnt to guide future knowledge exchange efforts. Results show that a diversity of approaches were used for knowledge exchange, from consultative engagement to genuine knowledge co-production. We show that diverse successes at the interface of marine science and policy are achievable and include impacts on policy, people, and governance. Such successes were enabled by factors related to the actors, processes, support, context, and timing. For example, the importance of involving diverse actors and managing positive relationships is a key lesson for success. However, enabling routine success will require: 1) transforming the ways in which we train scientists to include a greater focus on interpersonal skills, 2) institutionalizing and supporting knowledge exchange activities in organizational agendas, 3) conceptualizing and implementing broader research impact metrics, and 4) transforming funding mechanisms to focus on need-based interventions, impact planning, and an acknowledgement of the required time and effort that underpin knowledge exchange activities.

Towards implementation of robust monitoring technologies alongside freshwater improvement policy in Aotearoa New Zealand

International studies point out that some freshwater policy objectives are not achieved. This study describes that this is in part caused by shortcomings that include: the lack of targeted monitoring schemes to measure impact; a too small range of specific technologies rather than a wider suite of integrated multiple technologies; a too tight focus on sub-sets of stakeholders instead of the involvement of the wider range of end users; and poor trust building and technology explanations to end users. As an example, the New Zealand government is addressing widespread concern over the deterioration of the national freshwater resource by supporting a diverse portfolio of land and riparian management actions. Efforts to assess the effectiveness of these interventions and establish an evidence-based framework for future policies are however limited by the existing regional-scale freshwater monitoring infrastructure. Such hydrometric networks were established largely to assess the broader-scale regional ‘state’ of the environment and are generally out-of-phase with freshwater improvement actions that are implemented more typically at edge-of-field, farm or sub-catchment scales. Recent and rapid evolution in sensor technologies have created new opportunities to deliver information tuned to the appropriate parameters and frequencies needed to evaluate improvement actions. Despite this, the necessary transformative change in freshwater monitoring has yet to gather pace. In this study we explore barriers and solutions with the objective to better understand what is needed for successful integration of innovative monitoring technologies in a transitional environmental policy setting, using recent New Zealand policy directives as a case study. We use expert surveys and scenario testing to explore barriers to adoption to more robust and comprehensive monitoring required to establish the success, or otherwise, of freshwater improvement actions. This process reveals that rather than further innovations in technology, change in the practice of environmental monitoring is limited instead by the development of defensible and accepted guidelines on the application and effective deployment of existing sensors and methods. We demonstrate that improved knowledge exchange between engineers, scientists and practitioners can be addressed and propose a new decision support and communication tool to enable the selection of monitoring technologies and solutions fit-for-purpose to evaluate freshwater improvement outcomes on multiple scales involving multiple stakeholders.

1.M. Workshop: Protecting and preparing healthcare workers: what to learn from COVID-19 to strengthen resilience?

BackgroundThis workshop is dedicated to the WHO International Year of Health and Care Workers in 2021 in recognition of their commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first wave of the pandemic healthcare workers were lionised, yet societies' and health policymakers' appreciation of their new ‘heroes' was decreasing when corona fatigue was increasing. Health systems and policymakers have not fully understood the new emergent threats during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health workforce protection and pandemic preparedness are not limited to individual healthcare workers, but strongly impact in health system resilience.ObjectivesThis workshop sets the focus on the protection and preparedness of healthcare workers for global public health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to identify strengths and weaknesses of health workforce policy during COVID-19 and to highlight the need for a health system and governance approach. The following major questions will be addressed: How can the protection and pandemic preparedness of healthcare workers be improved? How can the capacities of the health workforce be used and governed more effectively during a pandemic? What policy priorities can be identified to support the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers and prevent infection and deaths, as well as post-COVID fatigue, burn-out and job leaves? How can we build back better and more equitable, including strengthening gender equality and establishing solidarity-based health workforce migration policy?ResultsThe workshop introduces novel results drawn from four European comparative studies. A number of important policy recommendations are emerging from the research, which include among others: (1) improve attention to the complex health and social needs of healthcare workers, (2) implement comprehensive surveillance and monitoring systems, (3) establish European health workforce governance to mitigate shortages and inequality between countries and globally, and (4) take action to implement gender equality policies and to better protect female healthcare workers.ConclusionsThe workshop will stimulate critical debate and improve knowledge exchange across countries and between researchers. It will contribute to creating resilience of the health workforce and health systems and to build back better after COVID-19 in a fair and equitable manner.Key messages Health systems must be accountable for the protection and preparedness of healthcare workers.Action is needed to develop a health workforce surveillance system on national and EU level.

Strategies for building and managing ‘trust’ to enable knowledge exchange at the interface of environmental science and policy

Trust is a critical precondition underpinning successful knowledge exchange among environmental scientists and decision-makers, and thus, evidence-informed decision-making processes. While the importance of trust is well established, however, specific approaches to building, managing and maintaining trust at the interface of environmental science and policy are lacking. Here, we seek to address this gap empirically via in-depth qualitative analysis, using the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as a case study. Specifically, through interviews with members of the ICES secretariat and scientific community, this study aims to (i) explore the importance of trust for organisations working at the interface of environmental science and policy, (ii) identify a range of strategies that are available for building trust at the interface of science and policy, and (iii) identify specific mechanisms for trust repair in situations where trust has been compromised. Our results show that trust is an essential component of a successful relationship between environmental science and policy, although highly dynamic and fragile. For example, while considerable time and effort is required to build trust, it can be lost in only a matter of days. Further, our results show that for successful knowledge exchange, and the attainment of research impact, trust is needed on three levels: (i) trust in individuals, (ii) trust in the organisation, and (iii) trust in the process by which knowledge is generated and exchanged. We identify 14 strategies to building trust, including the need for transparency, the importance of not advocating for a specific outcome, having a clear process for developing and providing knowledge/advice, having regular contact (preferably face to face) and being able to demonstrate independence. Finally, we identify five steps to repair trust: (i) Do not become defensive, be honest that a mistake has occurred, (ii) identify, and explain, why the mistake occurred, (iii) implement measures to ensure that the mistake does not happen again, (iv) correct the mistake (e.g. by providing updated knowledge/advice), and (v) give the trust re-building process time, and ensure ongoing face to face contact throughout that time. In presenting these insights from ICES, this study seeks to provide practical and implementable strategies that can be used by environmental scientists and/or research institutions to help them foster trust with decision-makers, enable improved knowledge exchange and build capacity for evidence-informed decision-making processes.

Urban forestry research needs identified by Canadian municipalities

At a time when the future of our planet remains fraught with uncertainty, interest in the state and role of forests, especially in urban settings, is growing rapidly. Our project, based on a Canada-wide survey, identifies the research needs of 192 municipalities of 5000 inhabitants or more, and verifies whether the size of the municipality, the region or the canopy have an impact on these needs. The numerous needs identified by municipalities show that there is a strong demand for research in this area. In particular, municipalities want to know: a) which tree species are better adapted to urban settings; b) the effects of trees on rainwater runoff and on human health; and c) that more studies be conducted on topics such as trees and infrastructure, on hazardous trees, on invasive plant species, and on various tree pests. Our analysis reveals that small municipalities are less interested in certain needs than larger municipalities, and that municipalities in the Maritimes region show more interest in certain topics than those in other Canadian regions. Results also reveal that urban forest canopy size has no influence on the identified needs. This study allows researchers to better define their projects, and it highlights the importance of improving knowledge exchange with and among key stakeholders in cities actively pursuing and interested in urban forestry activities.