Criteria setting and proposals review
The recent meeting, hosted by group member the British Council, and facilitated by consultants Bureau for the Contemporary and Historic (ButCH), marked an important step towards prioritising research ideas for inclusion in a landmark climate action and sustainability research framework.
During the latest session, group members first refined and confirmed the criteria by which research proposals would be assessed, and then reviewed over 100 individual research suggestions submitted by those across the UNESCO in the UK network, including site coordinators and partner organisations.
5-10 Year Cross-Sectoral Research Agenda
The subsequent framework will underpin a 5-10 year cross-sectoral research agenda, broadening understanding of the pivotal role UNESCO sites can play in responding to 21st century challenges.
The research framework and agenda is expected to be launched by the UK National Commission for UNESCO later in 2025.
The UK National Commission for UNESCO would like to thank ButCH for its ongoing work to complete the research framework and agenda, the British Council for hosting the most recent gathering, and to the members of the Research & Innovation Group for their time, expertise and contributions.
UK National Commission for UNESCO Research and Innovation Group
The UK National Commission for UNESCO Research and Innovation Group Members are (in alphabetical order):
- Fernando Avakian, (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
- Lara Band (Bureau for the Contemporary & Historic)
- Nadia Bartolini (Bureau for the Contemporary & Historic)
- Rosalind Bryce (University of the Highlands and Islands)
- Dave Chapman (UK National Commission for UNESCO)
- Dina D’Ayala (UNESCO Chair on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Engineering, University College London)
- David Drewry (Former UKNC Non-Exective Director, Natural Science)
- Francesca Giliberto (University of Leeds)
- Kate Guest (Historic England)
- David Hannah (UNESCO Chair in Water Science, University of Birmingham)
- Keith Jones (National Trust)
- Stefan Krause (UNITWIN Network on Ecohydrological Interfaces Under Change, University of Birmingham)
- Qiuhua Liang (UNESCO Chair on Informatics and Multi-hazard Risk Reduction, Loughborough University)
- Sarah May (Bureau for the Contemporary & Historic)
- Marc J Metzger (University of Edinburgh, Chair of the UK National Committee for UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme)
- Aisling Parrish (UK National Commission for UNESCO)
- Sefryn Penrose (Bureau for the Contemporary & Historic)
- Matt Rabagliati (UK National Commission for UNESCO)
- Claire Thirlwall (Thirlwall Associates)
- Ian Thomas (British Council)
- Juliet Thondhlana (UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development, University of Nottingham)
- Joanne Tippett (University of Manchester)
- Imogen Wood (National Trust)
- Rob Woodside (independent)
Further information on the UKNC Research & Innovation Group