Bushfire CRC Research Utilisation Strategy 2011-2014

The research adoption approach taken by the Bushfire CRC and articulated in the Research Adoption Strategy 2008-2010 has been updated. This update has been informed by consultation undertaken through a survey and an end-user workshop. This consultation identified the need to emphasise the following as key areas for success:

• Relationships and partnerships beyond AFAC to individual agencies and new partners

• Increased engagement and active involvement in addition to passive approaches

• Nurturing of a responsive and learning culture within individual end users, by agencies

• Building of research utilisation capacity and capability within end user agencies

• Creation of high quality products to support utilisation in a collaborative way

• Supporting agencies to make the research meaningful for their context.

Please view the Research Utilisation Strategy 2011-2014 and the Consultation Report.

An area outside the scope of this strategy is the identified need to break down the agency barriers restricting the full uptake of new research knowledge. The Bushfire CRC will endeavour to influence the industry towards a more responsive, learning culture through the sharing of good practice examples.

End user-researcher collaboration

Active engagement with end users is critical to successful utilisation of research.  The Research Utilisation Plan includes the formalisation of engagement with end users, through the Lead End User and the Research Advisory Forum, and also embeds engagement and collaboration opportunities within project plans and the AFAC business groups.

Lead End User Role: The establishment of Lead End User representatives from a Bushfire CRC partner organisation is an innovation that is intended to provide a much stronger integration of end user needs into the research projects as they are initiated through to the adoption of the research outputs in some years’ time. The Lead End Users for each project are shown in the plan as well as on the Bushfire CRC Web Site. The role of the Lead End User) will change over time as the project progresses. The Lead End User will be best placed to support the utilisation of research by facilitating appropriate interaction between the researchers and the end users, often through participation at an AFAC Group meeting.

AFAC Business Groups: The leverage that the Bushfire CRC can achieve through partnering with AFAC business groups is considerable. End User agencies are encouraged to utilise their AFAC representatives as a means to access the Bushfire CRC Research in the context of its relevance and implications to the industry. All of the Bushfire CRC research projects have been ‘aligned’ with the key AFAC interest groups and the detailed plan identifies the Group, the Group Manager and upcoming meeting dates (where known). Inclusion of appropriate consideration of the research project at these meetings is envisaged to go through the generic phases of creating awareness, engagement of users, consideration of potential implications and development of appropriate utilisation ‘products’. The Lead End User for the project should be able to guide the passage of the project and its outcomes through these meetings.

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