The K* (KStar) Initiative

Within the worlds of research and policy there is growing awareness of, and commitment to, the role of intermediaries and intermediary organizations. They are increasingly seen – by various parties including research providers, users and funders - as important in ensuring that:

• - Research directions are informed by the potential users;
• - Users are strategically involved in the research; and
• - Research findings are accessible and actually used in decision making.

• What is K*
• Genesis of K*

What is K*?

There is a wide variety of terms used to depict and describe knowledge sharing activities.  Terms such as knowledge brokering, knowledge translation, knowledge exchange and knowledge mobilization are all used extensively, but the different terminology has hidden the fact that the actual functions they describe are all systemically related to each other. 

K* was coined as an overarching concept and as a useful shorthand to describe the various aforementioned terms along with others used within and amongst the knowledge-focused community.

Genesis of K*

Knowledge Intermediaries are playing key roles in considering how relationships between policy and practice, research and other types of knowledge can be made to function better. They are practicing Knowledge Management (KM), Knowledge Mobilization (KMb), Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT), Knowledge Brokering (KB), Knowledge Adoption (KA) and a number of other activities under the K* umbrella.

The number of reports and peer-reviewed publications, meetings, websites, discussion fora, toolkits, knowledge management software and system solutions and conceptual frameworks, not to mention practitioners, is mushrooming, as are the number of terms being employed to describe often-similar activities. Additionally, as a result of a lack of awareness of what is occurring in different domains, some re-invention of the wheel is occurring. It is challenging to share practices and ideas across sectors or jurisdictions, as well as between developed and developing countries, which means that scarce resources are being wasted by not optimizing exchange of global knowledge.

At the same time, however, there is a general recognition of a need for a broader concept that includes all the knowledge-related functions but recognises their differences.  In April 2012, a conference hosted by the United Nations University – Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) in Hamilton, Canada, brought together people from different geographies and different sectors who represented these different functions.  The aim of the conference was to discuss their similarities and differences in the context of improving knowledge use in policy, industry and practice.  K* was coined as the overarching concept, and as a useful shorthand.

There were three outputs from the conference.  The K* concept paper sets out the core concept of K* and the principles shared by all its component functions and processes.  It also describes a framework for thinking about K*, which will make sharing approaches and lessons learned easier.  This concept paper complements the Green Paper that begins to establish our baseline understanding of the global community of K* practitioners, and lists the extensive number of K*-related toolkits that are in use around the world.  Finally, the conference participants form the kernel of a global network of K* practitioners who will continue to share experience and learn from each other.