'Immersive' learning in Malaysia for the University's Early Career Researchers

Friday, 22 April 2016

Through a highly competitive Researcher Links grant from the British Council Newton Ongku-Omar Fund, 6 early career researchers from the University of Reading joined 28 others for a week of hands-on learning at a workshop to build interdisciplinary capacity for climate resilient agri-innovation research. A visit to Kuala Selangor, the largest peat swamp forest in west coast Peninsular Malaysia, enabled participants to see first-hand the challenges of agro-forest management in the context of climate change.

The Researcher Links grant, a collaboration between the University of Reading and Crops for the Future Malaysia, was led by Dr Maria Noguer of the Walker Institute, working alongside Dr Eleanor Fisher and Dr Henny Osbahr from the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, and Dr Patrick O’Reilly and Dr Asha Karunaratne from Crops for the Future. To build the research capacity of 34 early career researchers from 20 institutions across Malaysia and the UK, the grant integrated the University of Reading's expertise on climate change, social welfare and economic development, with Crops for the Future’s expertise on agro-biodiversity and climate resilient cropping systems. 

Dr Maria Noguer said “it was a privileged to work with such an interdisciplinary group of early career researchers from Malaysia and the UK, alongside colleagues from Reading and Crops for the Future. I can see our organisations benefiting from this Workshop and we have exchanged ideas to develop new grant submissions together with a programme of exchanges.”

The Workshop focused on skills learning for developing successful interdisciplinary research collaboration based on the principle of learning by doing, permitting a flow of ideas while building research proposals on climate resilient agri-innovation. Close participant interaction during the week enabled understandings of culture, institutions, expertise, teams, etc. to happen naturally. Shared discussion over breakfast, lunch and dinner in the beautiful architecture of the new CFF building was inspiring. Participants were incentivised, built a network, and created original ideas for research that meet the economic development and social welfare of Malaysia, to benefit poor and vulnerable populations. 

One Reading early career researcher who travelled to Malaysia, Dr Harley Pope, from the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, said “the workshop was excellent, it provided a rare opportunity to engage with the challenges of working on collaborative, interdisciplinary research bids, highlighted common pitfalls, and provided examples of best practice.  The networking opportunities were invaluable, and I hope to work with some of the researchers I met from Malaysia and the UK in the future.  Gaining an experience of interdisciplinary working will directly benefit the Innovative Food Systems Teaching and Learning (IFSTAL) programme at Reading and its partner universities."

Professor Julian Park, Head of School of Agriculture Policy & Development, said “the University’s success at being awarded a British Council Newton Ongku-Omar grant is a testament to Reading’s expertise on climate research and to the leadership and hard work of colleagues in co-ordinating the grant. The successful bid was based on a strong and continuing relationship with Malaysian partners, recognising the value of building long lasting relationships based on mutual interest and combined skills.”