In Copenhagen, participating in the conference “The Future of Development Research: The Nordic Perspective(s)”. Tom Nyvang, PO Zander and I have prepared a joint paper with the title Scandinavian Participatory Design - Beyond Design, Beyond Scandinavia where we discuss participatory approaches in development the case in the paper is our collaboration with Dhaka University, ePolicyInPractice.
Paper presentations take place in small workshops where the interaction and discussion following presentations is very lively and interesting.
As this is a conference on development research, we feared to be sticking out, but fortunately people seem to find our approach and work interesting – using terms like ‘refreshing’ and ‘very different’ in the nicest possible way J
Participatory approaches to ICT in development - eLL seminar
On May 31st, we had a seminar on participatory approaches to ICT in development. My olleague PO Zander and I were in charge of putting together the programme, and we were fortunate enough to have visiting professor Judith Gregory from Institute of Design in Chicago to give an opening speech. Among other things, Judith presented five principles for succesful international and inter-cultural collaborations, based on her work in the health sector in Africa:
- Smart capability-building is required for richer and sustained collaboration
- Participation is essential; the context of participation must first be constituted
- Mutual learning and reciprocity among design collaboration partners
- Participatory design is a culture of principled argument, in the most positive meaning that critique always offers a proposal
- Respectful dialogue in which difference is valued
- Formal scientific contributions and social commitments in which participatory relations in design are essential
Read more here: Gregory, J. (2010): A Complex Model for International and Intercultural Collaboration in Health Information Systems, Gregory.
Chapter in: S. Poggenpohl & K. Sato (editors), Design Integrations: Research & Collaboration. Chicago: Intellect/University of Chicago, 2010, pp 247-273.
At the seminar it was decided to etablish a research group on ‘ICT in development’ (final title to be decided later).
Visit from Dhaka University - signing, seminar, and setting out for future collaborations
Vice chancellor of Dhaka University, professor Arefin Siddique, has been in Denmark to visit Aalborg University and set the road for future collaborations. A formal MOU was signed, and meetings were held between the official AAU and prof. Siddique. From the perspective of eLearning Lab, a meeting was held to discuss ways of starting the work in proposed project ePolicy in Practice, formulated by PO Zander from eLL and Sikder Murshed from Dhaka University.
On Friday May 6th, the Faculty of the Humanities hosted a research seminar on the role of ICT and new media in the development of Bangladesh. A number of local Ph.D.-students and researchers presented ongoing work in Bangladesh and neighbouring countries.
