Transnational learning has become a buzz phrase in European policy-making and in multi-national business. Learning from the experiences of others is an idea that captivates practitioners and academics alike due to its simplicity and availability in a world that is increasingly characterised by cross-border and global connections. European regions in particular offer a diverse range of solutions to often shared challenges. This provides a knowledge base for other regions to draw on, through regional success stories, publications of ‘best practice’ and EU cooperation programmes. This books explores ‘transnational learning and knowledge transfer’ in co-operation programmes and projects. It argues that a deeper understanding of learning needs to be central to the implementation of programmes and projects in order to successfully meet their desired outcomes and goals. By characterising some of the most important preconditions of transnational learning and introducing a process perspective to learning and transfer, this book identifies barriers to learning and knowledge transfer and contributes to a stronger conceptualisation of the topic. In doing so, it opens up the ‘black-box’ of transnational learning and knowledge development, providing a better understanding of its inner mechanisms. It also provides practical recommendations for policy makers and practitioners involved both at the programme and project level of transnational EU initiatives. This book will be of interest to students, researchers, and policy makers alike working in geography, political studies, legal studies and European studies.

Putting Knowledge to Work unveils the role that knowledge plays in NGOs work in international cooperation for development, unpacking tensions and challenges faced by small- and medium-sized development NGOs in particular; analysing cases in which organizations have devised inspiring solutions to improve their own performance.

Systems of innovation that are conducted within national borders can preserve inefficient solutions and prevent development. This has led to a feeling that transnational learning strategies are more and more desirable. In practice, the field of transnational learning has been dominated by various policy-making institutions, such as the OECD and European Union, working through different types of policy instruments and programs such as structural funds, open methods of coordination, as well as international research institutions and networks set up by cooperating national governments working on comparative analysis, benchmarking and indicators. This book lays out a set of methods which can further enhance the experience of transnational learning, starting from the sociological ideas promoted by Charles Sabel of learning through monitoring, and by Marie Laure Djelic and others of the “translation” of experiences between different countries. Case studies and examples are collected from three fields: industrial development, tourism and local government.

This book is an ambitious undertaking – a research documentation that describes a wide variety of approaches to knowledge production relevant to development policy, and illustrates the diverse possibilities of transdisciplinary development research within 25 projects in 15 countries. The editor encouraged the 105 authors – 46 female, 59 male – to investigate questions, problems and dimensions of knowledge production that are usually not addressed in research and project reports. Project planning, no matter how successful, can only partially anticipate the social reality of implementing a project. Flexibility, creativity and improvisation are indispensable prerequisites for successful project implementation in often difficult research conditions. Thus, this book is not only a documentation of the second phase of the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development – APPEAR – but also a discursive contribution on practical approaches to transdisciplinary and transcultural knowledge production.

Knowledge is the source of competitive advantage to regions, countries and organizations. It has also become an important part of the development cooperation because it is the key element for development. After all, most of the problems that developing countries face are results from insufficient knowledge. The purpose of this study is to describe the process of international knowledge transfer through development projects by studying a Finnish funded Community Health Education Program in Egypt.To provide full understanding of the topic following sub-objectives are needed to be analyzed: what type of knowledge is transferred through development projects, how the knowledge is transferred and how knowledge recipients adopt and learn new knowledge and what is the influence of the culture in knowledge transfer process.However, as in every development project, it is worth remembering that every country is its own unit and some best practices that have worked well in Egypt may not work in the same way when transferred to other developing countries.

Covering advantages as well as disadvantages, explores how mobility meets sustainability in contemporary organizational communication.

Investigates the effects of research in the field of international development.. Examines the consequences of 23 research projects funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre in developing countries. Shows how research influence public policy and decision-making and how can contribute to better governance.