Symposium Governance of Wicked Problems

For more information:
http://www.wur.nl/en/activity/Governance-of-wicked-problems.htm

Podocarpus simulation at Wageningen MSP Course

During the past 3-week course on Multi-Stakeholder Processes by CD&IC Wageningen International, coordinated by Jouwert van Geene, I was invited as a guest lecturer to run the Podocarpus National Park simulation. About 30, mainly African and Asian students, did a great job in assuming the roles of farmers, miners, bureaucrats, politicians and ngo workers, resulting in a lively simulation over 6 negotiation rounds. Together with Simone van Vugt, we discussed with the students what could be learned from this experience. We focused on the intricacies of collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders, representation issues, negotiation strategies, issue framing, power dynamics and the institutionalization of multi-stakeholder domains.

Here's a short video I made about the Podocarpus National Park simulation, using www.animoto.com

Kofi Anan at Wageningen University

During the opening ceremony of the academic year at Wageningen University, on September 1st 15h30, former UN Secretary -General Kofi Anan will talk about the global issues concerning food security and food prices. The general theme of the event is 'Feeding the World'.

Access to this event is restricted, but the opening ceremony can be watched live (and probably also afterwards) on the internet through WUR TV: http://wurtv.wur.nl/

The live broadcast starts at 15:30 on http://wurtv.wur.nl/presentations/roadkit4/

Seminar Barbara Gray at Wageningen University

seminar by Barbara Gray at Wageningen University

click here for more information

Train-the-trainer Workshop Cairo

The NeWater project and the Nile Basin Initiative together organized a workshop about adaptive management for people involved in the management of the Nile river basin. A very diverse African group of participants, from Egypt to Rwanda and Burundi, took part in the workshop, together with NeWater people from Belgium, Netherlands and Uzbekistan.

Thanks to the preparations of Fons Jaspers, the fluent Arabic of Koen Roest and the many helpful staff members of the training centre of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (including visa and passport helpers, drivers, sheet-turners, engineers and furniture carriers) the training went very well. It was an interesting occasion with the necessary enthusiasm and critical questions, turning it into a learning event for both trainers and participants.

We used the Podocarpus National Park simulation as a tool to learn about dealing with multiple actors and diverging frames, which led to lively negotiations and discussion about the feasibility of such an appraoch in a number of African cases.