Work

Balancing co-research in policy and practice – insights from a Swedish research council

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study aims to advance understanding of the relationship between policies and practices in public funding of co-research, in view of the ongoing academic reorientation towards a wider and deeper societal engagement – seen as an expression of public sector innovation. Based on a review of three calls by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte), similarities and differences regarding concepts, motives, stakeholders and methods for co-research are distinguished in call texts and applications. The results reveal an ambiguous relationship between co-research policies and practices, with a high compliance among applicants with the calls’ request for co-research but with little guidance on how to esteem, prioritize, design and conduct co-research. This complicates the balancing act between the co-existing rationales of academic freedom and public interest in public research funding as part of the two-directional relationship between innovative institutions, processes and solutions in public sector innovation.

Source: Nordic Journal of Innovation in the Public Sector

DOI: 10.18261/njips.4.1.3

Authors: Malin Lindberg, Annelie J. Sundler, Anna Tengqvist

Institutions: Malmö University, Röda Korsets Högskola, University of Borås

Language: English

Topic: Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Vetenskapsrådet, Malmö Högskola, Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd

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