UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker? Castries - 2004 - 1 UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker? Training Workshop for...

Castries - 2004 - 1

UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker?

UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker? Training Workshop for Documentalists ofNational Commissions of the Caribbean Castries, St. Lucia, 1-3 December 2004

Axel Plathe UNESCO, Information Society Divisionn [email protected]

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Content

• What is knowledge?• UNESCO’s mandate • UNESCO acting as a Knowledge Broker• UNESCO enabling Knowledge Brokers• ICTs and knowledge management• Managament proposals

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What is Knowledge?

“The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant” (Plato)

“A body of facts and principles accumulated by mankind in the course of time”

“Making sense of information”/

“digested information”

Your suggestion?

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What is a Knowledge Broker?

“An intermediary that links the people who use knowledge

and those who create it”

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What kinds of knowledge exist?

Scientific Knowledge

Local and indigenous knowledge “Sets of understandings,

interpretations and meanings are part and parcel of a cultural complex that encompasses language, naming and classification systems, resource use practices, ritual, spirituality and worldview”

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What are the characteristics of Quality Knowledge?

Quality Knowledge is

credible relevant timely

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What kind of knowledge-related actions exist?

Knowledge Creation

Knowledge Preservation

Knowledge Mining

Knowledge Utilization

Knowledge Sharing

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Is Knowledge Brokerage foreseen in UNESCO’s mandate?

• Constitution, Article 1: Purposes and functions

•“Collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of people” •“Maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge”

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Is Knowledge Brokerage foreseen in UNESCO’s mandate?

•31 C/4: UNESCO as a “Clearing House” as one of its 5 essential functions

•“Gathering, transferring, disseminating and sharing available information, knowledge and best practices in its fields of competence”• “Identifying innovative solutions”• “Testing solutions through pilot projects”

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• Advance mutual knowledge and understanding of the people

• Contribute to development based on knowledge in its areas of competence Examples of development needs:

• 840 million undernourished people• 1.5 billion people without access to safe drinking water• 860 million illiterate adults• 130 million people out of school

• Identify innovative solutions

• Promote Knowledge Societies

Why should UNESCO be aKnowledge Broker?



What are potential clients of UNESCOas a Knowledge Broker?

Researchers

…Political decisionmakers

ProfessionalCommunities

Interested public at large

Civil society



A) UNESCO acts itself as a Knowledge Broker

What are UNESCO’s concrete actions so far?

B) UNESCO enables others to be Knowledge Brokers



A) UNESCO itself as a Knowledge Broker (1)

• UNESCO’s In-house information services• UNESCO Library• UNESCO Archives• 66 Information Services located at Headquarters and in the Field Offices• 32 bibliographic, referral and full text databases produced by UNESCO in its domains of competence




• UNESCO as a scientific publisher• Monographs, e.g. WSIS Publication Series • Periodicals, e.g. Museum International• World Reports, e.g. World Science Report• Proceedings, e.g. Infoethics Proceedings• Directories, e.g. Asia Pacific Arts Directory



• UNESCO Web services

• “Knowledge Portal”• Observatory on the Information Society• Ocean Portal• Heritage Portal

• Web access to• full texts of official UNESCO documents (20,000)• photobank (10,000 images)• worldwide translations database (1,3 million bibliographic records)• thesauri• links directories, e.g. worldwide portals for archives, libraries, poetry

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• UNESCO as an organizer of scientific conferences• International Symposium on the Temple of Bayon

• UNESCO as organizer of expert advise dissemination• Reports• Missions

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Example: UNESCO Archives Portal

• Organized information on issues related to archives and record management

• Service to a specific group of UNESCO’s stakeholders

• Directory of links to outside resources

• Organized in categories• Maintained and updated




• In Education• UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs NetworkEstablishing and reinforcing strong and durable linkages amongst higher education and scientific institutions worldwide, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge while combating the brain drain.

• In Natural Sciences• International Centre for Synchrotron Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) Establishing the Middle East's first major international research centre as a cooperative venture by the scientists and governments of the region.

B) UNESCO enabling others to beKnowledge Brokers (1)

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• In Social Sciences• Management of social transformations (MOST) Promoting international, comparative and policy-relevant research on contemporary social transformations and issues of global importance

• In Culture• Network of Copyright Chairs Promoting international university cooperation in the areas of copyright and neighbouring rights

• In Communication & Information• INFOYOUTH CentresEstablishing information centres for young people

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B) UNESCO enabling others to beKnowledge Brokers (2)



Effects of ICTs on UNESCO’s role:

Are ICTs leading to a paradigm shiftin UNESCO’s role as a Knowledge Broker?

Higher efficiency

Widerscope

Greateroutreach

Higherrelevance

Lowercosts

Timeliness



Management proposals (1)

• Make UNESCO an exemplary actor in Knowledge Societies

• Refocus UNESCO’s priorities on Knowledge Broker functions in its areas of competence

• Concentrate on the use of ICT for Knowledge Broker activities

• Provide adequate resources to Knowledge Broker activities (staff, hard- and software)



• Establish efficient and effective methodologies• Identify relevant knowledge• Index relevant knowledge• Disseminate relevant knowledge

• Establish a coherent structure for Knowledge Broker

activities across all sectors (“Knowledge Portal”)

Management proposals (2)

UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker? Castries - 2004 - 1 UNESCO: A Knowledge Broker? Training Workshop for...

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