International Workshop

Context

It is recognised globally that in order to understand and solve complex sustainability problems, applied research must engage with multiple knowledge types and the stakeholders that hold that knowledge. Collaborative action research approaches that can engage actors to co-produce knowledge, resolve conflict and generate innovation and collective action is a growing focus for social and trans-disciplinary scientists. Such approaches and methods are rapidly evolving in the realms of climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, food security and human health. However, we critically lack a deep understanding of practice and lessons learned in the sphere of coastal and marine management, and its value for the planning and implementation of the ‘blue economy’.

Research imperative

A recurring question in action research concerns the way in which the nature and impact of the collaborative approach can be assessed. A growing body of work is attempting to address this question specifically, by testing the implementation of formal evaluation approaches and research project cycles. However, standards for the systematic evaluation of research schemes and comparison across multiple research projects are not yet available, and their definition raises a number of methodological questions.

In addition, change processes initiated by collaborative action research inevitably continue long after the culmination of project funding. This adds to the difficulty of assessing the effects and influences of the principles, methods and approaches employed in time-limited research efforts, and therefore to judge what worked and what did not. Ultimately, for such applied sustainability science, understanding these effects and influences is the essence of research, in order that lessons can be learned to scale up from local research experiments, and inform other problem-focused initiatives. Despite this need, there is a paucity of evaluation methods and data available to assess the long-term benefits of collaborative action research endeavours and of the methods used. This is particularly true in marine and ocean science, where the development of such collaborative research is more recent.

Workshop objectives

The workshop proposes to bring together international social and trans-disciplinary experts from different regions of the world (Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas), to compare their approaches and the results of their assessments, carried out in a variety of contexts linked to marine social-ecological systems. The workshop will draw on a range of contrasting experiences and case studies to identify the key aspects of such assessments, and to guide the framing of future collaborative research projects. It will culminate in the production of synthesis articles presenting the findings of the analyses carried out during the workshop, to be submitted for publication in a special issue of a peer-reviewed international journal.

The research questions the workshop will address include the following:

1. Does anything researchers do contribute to transformational change?

2. How can this be tracked in contexts that change over time?

3. Can evaluation guide researchers to do something differently in future?

4. What roles do researchers play in these processes? What roles are best left to other partners or knowledge brokers?

The workshop activities will address the above questions with the following objectives:

1. Collate, share and jointly analyse the researchers’ existing long-term evaluation data;

2. Draw lessons and principles from these data that will change practice;

3. Agree a joint publication plan to disseminate and communicate the results;

4. Design a research agenda and methods to address further evaluation questions, and methods to answer them;

5. Establish a community of practice amongst participants to share and learn from their experiences in future.

Workshop format

To facilitate the participation of international experts, the workshop will be held in the week preceding the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC), in advance of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice (UNOC 2025). The workshop will take place on 26th – 28th May 2025, in Brest, France, with 25-30 participants.

A scientific steering committee made up of representatives from supporting organisations is charged with defining the final workshop program and select the plenary papers and case studies following responses to invitations to participate. The committee will also be in charge of preparing the analysis framework proposed to participants to tackle the case studies. Participation of early career researchers on this committee will be sought.

Participants will be expected to contribute to the workshop by proposing one or several case studies of marine social-ecological systems that can be examined during the workshop, and/or to the analysis of these case studies. To qualify, case studies will need to include (i) a clear identification of scale and nature of the transformations considered (e.g. improved sustainability of a fishery; increased resilience of local food systems) and associated enabling processes (governance arrangements; capacity building; technological innovation; …); (ii) preliminary impact assessment results and supporting data (including case study characterisation) produced via an explicit action-research evaluation framework.

The workshop will be organized over 3 days, with each day devoted to the following activities:

• Day 1: The workshop will begin with exchanges based on synthetic presentations focusing on (a) approaches, methods and tools for assessing the impact of collaborative research, and (b) the presentation of case studies on which collaborative work will be carried out during the rest of the workshop, following an analysis framework proposed in advance to participants.

• Day 2: This will conduct work in sub-groups on case studies proposed by participants, with the aim of applying the methodologies agreed in Day 1.

• Day 3: The results of the case study analyses will be shared and synthesized.

Workshop outcomes

The workshop will create essential learning about effective participatory processes, methods and approaches, and a community of practice to maintain this. Specifically, the researchers involved will be able to apply their new learning and skills to marine and ocean management, and research support to the blue economy. This is important, because in all regions, the coastal and marine environment is becoming an increasingly contested space, affected by multiple stressors and demands. However, there remains a window of opportunity to plan the blue economy to be environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient and socially-inclusive, with the support of appropriate participatory action research approaches.

To participate

The workshop will be held in person only. There is no registration fee.

To register interest in participating, please fill in the form available at  : https://forms.gle/p3AqdTtnsDZ2Ymqn8

making sure you detail:

• Your intended contribution to the workshop;
• Whether you would require partial financial support to attend.

If you would like to propose a case study, you will be kindly invited to submit a 300 word abstract along with your registration of interest.

Selection of participants will be made by the Scientific Steering Committee, based on participation interest and capacity limitations. You will receive confirmation of participation by early April 2025 at the lastest.

Funding

The organisers are pursuing a variety of funding options to cover some of the workshop costs. We welcome any support in identifying funds to support travel and accommodation of participants. Potential quantum of funding available will be balanced against the number of likely participants and their funding needs.