Reflections on TILL: Anda participates in International Fellowship
Anda reflects on his recent participation in the TRANSECTS Transdisciplinary International Learning Lab (TILL) in Canada
Anda's recent trip to Canada
I recently took a few weeks of leave from my internship at INSPIRE and spent six weeks in British Columbia, Canada. I participated in a transdisciplinary research programme that opened my eyes to opportunities beyond research and academia.
Programme description
The TILL is a postgraduate-level, intercultural, problem-based course designed to develop a future cohort of researchers and leaders with transdisciplinary skills. These skills will enable cohorts to understand social-ecological systems and apply transdisciplinary research approaches and methods for meeting and addressing complex environmental management and stewardship problems. The TILL is part of the larger TRANSECTS project. TRANSECTS stands for Transdisciplinary Education Collaboration for Transformations in Sustainability. It is an innovative, transdisciplinary research training partnership that reconfigures sustainability science education, prepares graduates to be the next generation of sustainability change makers, and offers unparalleled opportunities for intercultural learning through shared international experiences and comparative analysis across the Global North and South. TRANSECTS boasts an exceptional, international team of researchers and partners from Canada, Germany, and South Africa, with representatives from academia, Indigenous and rural communities, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Regions/Reserves, governing agencies, international networks, and private and civil society organisations and foundations.
A key element of transdisciplinarity is the diversity of participants – either those collaborating to conduct research or involved as participants to co-create. Not only were participants in the TILL from diverse disciplines and different stages of their academic stages, but we were also diverse in terms of culture, nationalities and religion. This diversity is celebrated in transdisciplinary research and rightfully so because it allows you to to approach the research from different perspectives. As celebrated as this aspect is, it also presents itself as one of the biggest challenges to transdisciplinary work. How do you get individuals from different backgrounds to work together? How do you navigate conflict in cases of disagreement? These are some of the questions you ask yourself when involved in such a process.
The experience of working with various stakeholders such as researchers, practitioners, community members and Indigenous People was enriching and special. What was most special to me was connecting and engaging with the Coast Salish communities in the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Qualicum First Nations. It reinforced the need and importance of integrating and even being informed by local perspectives in the work that we do.
At the beginning of the TILL, we learnt various theoretical transdisciplinary methodologies from a diverse group of experts. We got to hear from experienced scholars who work on developing transdisciplinary methods, experienced field based transdisciplinary practitioners, and key stakeholders such as Indigenous communities and First Nations who work and exist in the context. Drawing from the theoretical inputs, we then applied transdisciplinary methods to address a real life problem in the biosphere. At the end of the TILL, we presented our findings to stakeholders and reflected on the whole process.
Another key factor of transdisciplinarity is reflexivity. Throughout the whole process, we were encouraged to journal our insights and feelings following each day. This was supplementary to reflection sessions that we would have as a group. This is a process that I struggled most with because I thought it was unnecessary and that my field notes were enough to go by. As I look back, I am grateful to have gotten over my resistance to journal. Reflecting on my daily experiences helped me improve my participation in the TILL. As you may know that we all have biases that exist within ourselves. Those are magnified when part of such a diverse group. When reflecting, I got to reassess my own biases and positionality, helping me approach situations empathetically and openly, even when I necessarily did not agree with them.
Applying learnings into INSPIRE
Reflecting on my participation in the TILL programme, I see numerous ways in which this experience can be applied to my role at INSPIRE. The organisation aims to advance the field of social performance in South Africa’s renewable sector, and the transdisciplinary skills and insights that I gained from the TILL are incredibly relevant and valuable to advancing the organisation’s mission.
Transdisciplinarity: INSPIRE can leverage the transdisciplinary methods as an approach to complex challenges in the renewable sector. By integrating rigid and technical knowledge from practitioners in the sector and practical insights from communities, we as an organisation can support the development of holistic and innovative strategies that address both environmental and social impacts of renewable energy projects. For example, one of our projects – Trust Matters – uses a transdisciplinary approach, through exploring the full spirit of community ownership. The project aims to empower community trusts in REIPPPP, mobilise community leadership and drive developmental impact. The pathway to achieving this aim is through collaboration with various stakeholders such as trustees, communities, trust administrators, IPPs (ED Managers and/or Founders), and the IPP office.
Stakeholder Engagement: By leveraging these stakeholder engagement skills, I can contribute to INSPIRE’s building of stronger relationships with local communities, government agencies, and private sector partners. Understanding and integrating diverse viewpoints will enhance the social acceptance and sustainability of renewable energy projects. Currently, I am applying these learnings in my role as project management support in one of our projects at INSPIRE, the Community of Practice (CoP) and our daily organisational operations.
Fostering Reflexivity and Continuous Improvement: Incorporating reflexivity into the organisation’s workings can help us improve our approaches and methodologies. Implementing regular reflection sessions within the INSPIRE team can foster a culture of continuous improvement. Many, if not all our projects at INSPIRE are in collaborative efforts with external stakeholders, and strategic and implementation partners, thus making it crucial to constantly reflect on our approaches. Earlier this year, the organisation hosted a workshop with the core team and our strategic partners where we meticulously outlined INSPIRE’s impact goals, projects and activities, challenges in the renewable energy social performance ecosystem, and reflected on what currently thrives within the organisation while examining areas for improvement, ensuring a holistic approach to progress.
