Blog: Exploring the value and valuing of research co-production in Scotland
In this blog for Co-production Week Scotland, Helen Berry discusses her research at the Binks Hub which explores research co-production and in particular, how different people and organisations come to value co-production and co-producing of research.
About the Binks Hub
Based at the University of Edinburgh, the Binks Hub is a network of academics, researchers, community members, practitioners and policymakers working with communities to co-produce a programme of research and knowledge exchange. Through the programme, the Binks Hub aims to promote social justice, relational research methods and human flourishing.
Why do this research?
There is a current taste for research co-production in the academic world and beyond, however there are also enduring academic and practice concerns regarding its evidence base. Because research co-production is both complex and emergent, with potential outcomes of many different kinds and scales, it can prove challenging to evaluate. How do we know that research co-production delivers on its promises?
This research aims to place a sharper focus on what we mean by value in the context of research co-production, and encourage more open and equitable conversations about what those values are and how they might be made more visible.
The conversation about value is timely considering current funding pressures on third sector organisations particularly, who frequently act as vital community partners supporting these research relationships.
The research asks the following questions:
What shapes people’s journeys into co-producing research? How do they interpret and use the term in light of those situated journeys?
How do different actors come to know and understand the value of co-producing research? How do they feel that it creates value for them - or otherwise?
How do they articulate or show the value to others in varying contexts?
How well do the values of different actors align, where is value conflict found, and how is it navigated?
What politics play out in defining what and whose values (and criteria for valuing) come to be recognised?
How do I get involved?
So, if you are co-producing research, what have you come to value most?
We will be inviting people to get involved in this research through 2025. Research methods will include elicited writing (through an online platform), a small number of creative focus groups and follow-up interviews, and participant observation.
This project is directly relevant to those who are co-producing research in Scotland. This may include people in several roles such as professional researchers (across sectors); community researchers; public contributors; research managers; knowledge-brokers; policy or decision-makers; research funders; artists and creatives.
(Please note that this research project is relevant to co-producing research, so co-production of services or policy alone lies outside of its scope).
This is a doctoral research project supervised by Dr Emma Davidson, Co-director of the Binks Hub, and Dr Hayley Bennett, and positioned in Social Policy within the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh.
You can get in touch with Helen if you’d like to know more or get involved!
Find out more about this research on the Binks Hub website.
Read another blog by Helen, discussing the research, from the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships: How is the value of co-producing research understood?