Network focal points

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Network focal points

• Globalization and marginalization.
  Multi- and interdisciplinary research on
  development paths in the South

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The Research Council's system of governing bodies
Research Board
Bioproduction and Processing
Research Board
Industry and Energy
Research Board
Executive Board
Executive Board
Culture and Society
Research Board
Medicine and Health
Director General
Research Board
Environment and Development
Research Board
Organisation and Finance
Science and Technology
Public Relations and Information
Strategic Planning
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The division of Environment and Development

• Target areas and priorities on the research
  agenda
• natural processes and man-made changes
• the use and management of natural resources and
  the environment, including cultural aspects
• social change, economics and governance
• population, public health and quality of life
• values for sustainable development

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Development research

• An ongoing debate What is development
  research? - moving toward a new definition
• Globalization presents new and challenging issues
  that must be addressed in research about poverty
  and development generally
• Little interest in global and international
  affairs among researchers?
• Must focus on how such relations affect Norway?
• RCN in dialogue with relevant ministries
  increasing interest
• Research projects in the field of development
  need
• more focus on processes of change
• more attention to global and international
  perspectives
• more international cooperation

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Main objective of the Globalization and Marg.
program

• Help strengthen free, critical research which
  will contribute to an improved understanding of
  globalization and marginalization issues,
  especially with regard to mechanisms that create
  and reduce poverty, improve welfare and
  strengthen democracy and sustainable development

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Main objective contd.

• To improve the knowledge base and strengthen
  expertise that contributes to policy making in
  the areas of Norwegian foreign affairs and
  development aid. This aims at
• an overall understanding of the problems related
  to globalization and marginalization linked with
  the most relevant topics
• free, critical research and a pool of expertise
  that is diverse and inter-disciplinary

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How

• Fund research
• Contribute to debate around key issues and
  dissemination of findings
• Support national networks and international
  research cooperation
• at least 2/3 of projects in the program will
  finance cooperation bw/ different institutions
  and disciplines
• Promote the establishment of network focal points
  that are building partnerships on the
  international research arena
• Promote international research cooperation in
  other ways

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Thematic focus

• Globalization and marginalization
• Poverty
• Economic policy and commercial and industrial
  development
• Political development, democracy, human rights
  and armed conflicts
• Health, education and population growth
• The environment and resource management
• Cross-cutting issues gender, children and
  urbanization
• Comparative perspectives

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Other initiatives of the RCN

• New programs funding development research
• CGIAR (Consultative Group on International
  Agricultural Research)
• Bilateral agreements, such as with South Africa
• Norwegian researchers/ PhD candidates to
  collaborate with World Bank researchers (ongoing
  dialogue to establish program)
• Partnership with EADI (European Association of
  Development Research and Training Institutes)

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Role of the research networks (RN)

• Serve as a national center and meeting place of
  expertise
• Establish mechanisms for cooperation with
  international research groups and multilateral
  organizations in selected areas
• Create meeting points for disseminating and
  exchanging information
• Promote communication with the general public
• Contact forum for the integration of various
  disciplinary and thematic issues
• Researchers and users can set the agenda
  together

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Role and responsibilities of the RN Focal points

• Coordinate
• a national network which should include most
  researchers in Norway working in the selected
  field
• a web site (in Norwegian and English) providing
  services that connect people to a virtual network
  
• an electronic forum for discussion and a list
  serv
• links to international networks, especially in
  the South
• scientific conferences every other year
• dissemination of information among research
  groups and other interested parties in Norway and
  the South (such as management bodies, voluntary
  organisations, politicians, media, business),
  setting up physical and electronic meeting places

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NETREED

• Funding has been granted since 1. jan 2001
• The support is granted for the period of 2001 to
  2003
• The network has been awarded a total of kr
  1.161,900 (apx. 130,000) from the Research
  Councils Globalization and Marginalization
  program

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NETREED Main objective

• To enable Norwegian researchers within the area
  of education and development to learn from each
  other, build alliances and form a strong research
  base within this field in Norway
• Alliance-building in Norway
• Include researchers, evaluators and research
  administrators in the effort
• Strengthen partnerships in the South

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• To enable Norwegian based researchers and
  evaluators to learn from each other, to avoid
  duplication and instead form a strong research
  base within the area of education and development
• To create and maintain a web page where relevant
  research and evaluation reports are presented,
  and where other relevant information, which is
  useful for the network, is available
• To facilitate a meeting point - physically and
  virtually - for people in the target group

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• To establish contact with other relevant
  networks, including in the South
• To facilitate contact and knowledge
  transformation between research interests and
  "user interests" in Norway and in the South

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Progress made by NETREED

• Creation of a website
• Launch18 oktober 2001
• Invitation to researchers and the development
  community to join the network
• Newsletters - relevant news in the field
• The first big meeting place the Gausdal
  Conference

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Challenges ahead

• Strengthen sense of ownership to the network
  among Norwegian members and users
• Facilitate opportunities to meet regularly, e.g.
  through working groups on different issues
  related to ED
• Facilitate international cooperation
• between researchers
• about topics of common interest
• positioning for financing from multilaterals
• Establish and strengthen partnerships in the
  South - the core of network activities should be
  centered around this

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• Capacity building - how to build a critical mass
  of research capacities based in Norway while
  benefiting from cooperation with networks in the
  South
• Extend degree of cooperation with already
  established networks, e.g.
• ADEA Association for the Development of Education
  in Africa - a network of partners promoting the
  development of effective education policies based
  on African leadership and ownership
• Financial security in the future RCN provides
  seed-money, how to finance the network in the
  future?
• Need to define the value added of NETREED?