Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer
CAPACITY BUILDING
ICCR staff have always played a key role in supervising research students studying for Masters Degrees or PhDs. In 2008, the Institute developed a professional taught doctorate in Childhood Studies (DChild), which is now delivered by the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, with ICCR staff making significant contributions, including the supervision of a number of DChild students, alongside PhD research students.
On the other hand, the ICCR, often assisted by the central university, continues to invest in the training of research staff including running methodology/analysis courses, and establishing a Staff Training & Development (STDU) fund for bespoke training events aimed at contract researchers.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
In partnership with users of research, knowledge transfer activity is firmly embedded in the work of the ICCR. In keeping with an internationally recognised research unit, the Institute has continued to publish accounts of its work in high quality, peer reviewed journals. Staff have also presented their work at national and international conferences, and we have collaborated with colleagues from policy and practice communities in organizing an extensive range of initiatives and events to ensure maximum use of our research findings. See our publications section for more details.
ICCR has been singled out as exemplary by the Northern Ireland Research and Development Office. We collaborate with colleagues from policy and practice communities in organizing an extensive range of initiatives and events to ensure maximum use of our research findings.
Our extensive network enables effective knowledge transfer to five primary groups:
• practitioners and managers;
• policy makers and regulators;
• advisory bodies, consultants and child care specialists;
• children and families; and
• academics and researchers.
Our strategy aims to build strong relationships with each of our end-point user groups, to provide research evidence in ways that are accessible to each group, to reality test it against their experience, and to learn from each group what matters to them in order to inform our future work.
