KMbeing

Why attend the ?

It’s a genuinely important question to ask as there are so many other events or conferences that you may be considering attending this year.

The Canadian KMb Forum provides a variety of engaging relationships that developed and continue to develop out of the first in Ottawa. gathered attendees from 10 countries and lead to this past February 2014.

• 2012 Canadian KMb Forum Report
• 2013 Canadian KMb Forum Report

And for one of the most original and amusing report titles…

• 2013 UK KMb Forum Report – A cat, an elf-lord and a spaceman walked into a room … the first
  UK Knowledge Mobilisation Forum had begun (scroll to page 283)

Four themes were part of last year’s Canadian KMb Forum: Building on existing capacityand building new capacity; Learning from each other – Comparisons across sectors; The Next Generation —Students and Apprentices in knowledge mobilization; and Methods, Tools, and Theories – The Art and Craft of knowledge mobilization.

This year’s theme Putting Research to Work: Social & Economic Innovation continues to build on the conversations started since the inaugural event in 2012 and continues the history of co-construction of knowledge and shared understanding.

The event takes place June 9^th and 10^th in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. As one of the organizers and KMb Forum report writers I am pleased to see this theme as an extension of knowledge mobilization that can lead to social and economic innovation.

Here are 10 reasons why it’s important to attend the Canadian KMb Forum:

1. The Canadian KMb Forum will provide an opportunity to learn about key issues in the knowledge mobilization field that pertain to a wide variety of sectors.  Attendees come from a mix of sectors including health, academia, children & youth services, workplace safety, environment, addictions & mental health, education, disability services, business, agriculture, domestic violence and social services – and the 2014 KMb Forum promises a similar mix.
2. The Canadian KMb Forum is a place to meet people and learn about organizations addressing how to make research more useful to society through knowledge mobilization activities.  The Canadian KMb Forum will provide learning and professional development experiences for students, practitioners and scholars (“pracademics“) and other stakeholders interested about and/or working in knowledge mobilization from around the world.
3. The Canadian KMb Forum will bring people together who have established a relationship on social media and will provide in-person connections from those relationships – as well as continue to invite remote participants to join via social media.  It will also initiate new relationships with others that can be continued by social media.
4. The Canadian KMb Forum will be a chance to learn about professional and student jobs, projects and funding possibilities that further advance and compliment the successes of such outcomes that were created by previous KMb Forums as part of the work we are engaged in as KMb professionals.
5. The Canadian KMb Forum will offer valuable insight into the experiences of others who face challenges similar to yours, as well as learning about approaches to find concrete solutions to create benefit from the results of research in your field and other sectors through social and economic innovation strategies.
6. The Canadian KMb Forum will present opportunities to learn about publications and other KMb resources relevant to your areas of interest, and create ideas for articles, books, blogs and other professional and social media writing.
7. The Canadian KMb Forum promises to help establish and strengthen existing partnerships locally and globally in promoting knowledge mobilization efforts around the world.
8. The Canadian KMb Forum will identify opportunities for knowledge mobilization within various professions and the possibility of developing communities of practice (CoPs) within your own local community.
9. The Canadian KMb Forum will provide a space for you to demonstrate your commitment to your profession in making the world a better place through knowledge mobilization efforts.
10. The Canadian KMb Forum is taking place in a central city of Canada with urban parkland trails, the breathtaking South Saskatchewan River beneath vibrant skies on the edge of nature with endless beauty that allows you to become familiar with the area, culture and entertainment that makes Saskatoon an ideal place to hold Canada’s third Knowledge Mobilisation Forum.

For further information and to register click .  I’m looking forward to meeting my fellow knowledge mobilizers at the Canadian KMb Forum!