Training in Collaborative Research as Social Permaculture​

I offer bespoke training for researchers working on projects involving non-academic partners, based on my ongoing work applying social permaculture to the design and delivery of collaborative research. The purpose is to equip researchers to move towards what I term Mode 3 research, in which positive environmental and social impacts are integral features of research design. In other words, this implies envisioning and delivering research as a form of Sacred Political Ecology.

Training usually takes place in an online format, and involves a number of taught sessions along with guided follow-up individual and group work. Its main content is an introduction to the philosophy and principles of social permaculture and a guided design process in which participants apply this understanding to their own research.

The training is suitable for groups of 4-8 people working on the same or different projects. The training group may, for example, be members of a project team or researchers in the same PhD, Masters or post-doctoral programme. Training groups are normally self-assembled; however individuals or smaller groups are welcome to contact me to register your interest.

Formats are flexible according to the needs of the training cohort and the time and resources available. The most basic version consists of eight hours of facilitated learning plus 8-16 hours of independent study and can be delivered over a few days as a short intensive or spaced out over several weeks. Longer versions, up to the 72-hour duration of the full permaculture design course, and in-person or residential versions, can be organised on request.