News

Knowledge on the move

Development Policy04 Feb 2008Sasha Fomina

From 26 to 28 February an international conference, ‘Knowledge on the Move: Research for development in a globalizing world’, will take place at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague. Organized jointly by NWO/WOTRO Science for Global Development, Nuffic and ISS, the conference will bring together researchers, practitioners and policy makers to examine the new roles of knowledge and research for development.

Just as the world is rapidly changing, so also are the fields of science and research. For example, growing numbers of researchers from both North and South are participating in international networks. But does the involvement of Southern researchers in these networks automatically benefit the development of their home countries? Or are international research agendas – formulated in Northern ‘centres of excellence’ – pulling their attention away from other local priorities?

These and many other questions will be addressed at the conference. Among them is one of the main issues that is addressed in The Broker: how to bridge the gap between academics and policy makers, practitioners and activists.

The conference organizers state that they wish ‘to take stock of the current situation and to identify new ways forward’. The participants will look at ‘three cross-cutting issues’ – research arenas, research practices and research capacities – in the context of eight themes: trade and development; climate, energy and the environment; science, technology and innovation in the context of food security and agriculture; health systems; peace, security and governance; migration in an urbanizing and globalizing world; human rights; and research communication.

For more information, visit www.knowledgeonthemove.nl.