Open Practices, Community-Based Research, and Social Responsibility

Dr. Tandon and Dr. Hall spoke at a virtual panel discussion featuring three leaders in the global advancement of open research practices, who co-authored the 2020 Canadian Commission for UNESCO brief “Open Science Beyond Open Access: For and with Communities, a Step Towards the Decolonization of Knowledge.”

International Education Week is an annual opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide, and there is much the scholarly community can do to further these aims. Publishing open access is one way, but there is growing recognition of the need for more open, transparent practices across the research lifecycle.

Many use the term “open scholarship” or “open science” to encompass these practices across the applied sciences, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. The 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science is grounded in five “open” pillars: knowledge, infrastructures, communication, engagement of societal actors, and dialogue with other knowledge systems. These open practices are essential to community-based, socially-responsive research.

PANELISTS

• Dr. Lorna Wanosts’a7 Williams presented on “Openness to Indigenous Ways of Knowing.” She is Professor Emerita of Indigenous Education, Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Victoria and Canada Research Chair in Education and Linguistics. Throughout her career as an educator she has promoted Indigenous knowledge in the Sciences and sought the inclusion and involvement of Indigenous students in all areas of Science. She is a highly respected indigenous elder from the Lil’Wat Nation from British Columbia, Canada.

• Dr. Rajesh Tandon presented on “New Delhi-Openness to Community Knowledges.” Dr. Tandon is an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development. He is the Founder-President of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), a global centre for participatory research & training. He is also Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education since 2012. The UNESCO Chair grows out of and supports UNESCO’s global lead to play “a key role in assisting countries to build knowledge societies.” Dr. Tandon also heads the Forum for Indian Development Corporation (FIDC) as its Chairperson. He is Chairperson of the Committee to carry out an appraisal of the UGC scheme under ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ and a Member of the Expert Group for the Development of an Educational Framework for Global Citizenship in Higher Education Institutions, constituted by the University Grants Commission.

• Dr. Budd L Hall presented on “Challenging the Pay Walls of Academic Knowledge.” He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto and the University of Victoria and the Co-Chair, UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education. Dr. Hall is a settler Canadian with a lifetime interest in issues of knowledge, action, and learning. His research interests cover fields of participatory research, decolonization of higher education, knowledge democracy, adult education, social movement learning, poetry, and social change.

This event was co-sponsored by the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost, Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, Boren College of International Studies, Rainbolt College of Education, and the Native Nations Center.

Register here.