Role of Research & Insight in Cultural Relations
During a two-day Knowledge Sharing Workshop co-hosted by British Council and ifa at the British Council headquarters in London in March 2023, participants explored research areas of different EUNIC member organisations, synergies on certain topics, ways of commissioning research and of using insight for policy making, and programming in international cultural relations.
High-quality research and evidence are important assets for the programme development, policy influence and stakeholder engagement of all EUNIC members. Many members are actively engaged in different kinds of knowledge production, and there are strong examples of impactful research collaboration in the network. However, there is a lack of clear and comprehensive understanding of which members are involved in what kinds of research activities, on what topics and with what outcomes and objectives.
To take the opportunity to address this observation and work towards a more coherent plan for sharing research, evidence, and insight internally within the EUNIC network and with mutual external stakeholders, participants actively working in the fields of research and knowledge management at different EUNIC member organisations met over two days in London in March 2023.
The workshop allowed participants to identify areas of research synergy and capacity, and to point out knowledge gaps and areas where future collaboration and investment might be needed. It also helped to raise the profile and visibility of cultural relations as a distinct area of policy-relevant research and evidence, complementing the work of platforms such as the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance (ICRRA) and the Siena Cultural Relations Forum.
To find out more about the workshop, read the full report here.
