This document provides a first overview of a proposed IKM2 for discussion by the IKM Steering Group and among the IKM programme members. It will be circulated and made available on the IKM wiki with the idea that it will be further developed and written collaboratively. IKM2, the proposed second phase of the IKM Emergent Research Programme, identified here as IKM1, is currently under development.
Like IKM1 which preceded it, it is proposed that IKM2 is primarily an action research, practitioner based research programme. This does not mean that academic researchers are not welcome in the network or in undertaking research. However, there is a fundamental understanding underlying the programme that practitioners are the main source of innovation in the development sector (Pant and Odame 2009). Academic researchers – and particularly those who are interested in the practical implications of their research and who are able to link practice with academic theory and research - are very welcome participants. The focus of IKM2 will be, like, IKM1, the development knowledge system. Its aim will be to build on approaches developed during IKM1 and to take them a step further.
IKM1 has been very fortunate in many ways with its funder, DGIS. DGIS gave IKM the possibility to maintain its iterative character. It is, however, not expected that DGIS will continue funding IKM2 and it has to be recognised that the funding environment is less propitious than 5-6 years ago. However, the role of knowledge in development continues to be a genuine focus of development interest.