Introduction of flagship documents

Event report

Dr Petru Dumitriu started the first session of the Knowledge for Development: Global Partnership Conference, by addressing the main objectives of Knowledge Management in the United Nations system report, by the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) Geneva in 2016. The objectives include: the incorporation of knowledge as a resource of the United Nations system, convincing people that the vision of knowledge management is important to all organisations to prevent the waste of information, the creation of a set of good existing practices and strategies, the stimulation of system-wide dynamics (treat UN organisations individually and allow front runners to help other organisations), the recommendation of concrete actions, reminding stakeholders about the role of knowledge (choices of technology should be knowledge driven), the acknowledgement of knowledge as a silo-breaker, and to show that knowledge management is not a ‘buzzword’, but a realistic policy assumption.

Dr Andreas Brander of Knowledge Management Austria, discussed the Agenda Knowledge for Development Initiative. He began by addressing their vision to ‘make knowledge an indispensable component of an agenda for sustainable development’ and to provide a universal knowledge framework of guiding principles, dialogue, strengthening knowledge ecosystems, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This represents a multistakeholder partnership of civil society enterprises, academics, and the representatives of governments. Brander then addressed the 13 goals of the Agenda Knowledge for Development:

1. Pluralistic, diverse and inclusive knowledge societies
2. People-focused knowledge societies
3. Strengthening local knowledge ecosystems
4. Knowledge partnerships
5. Knowledge cities and rural-urban linkage
6. Advanced knowledge strategies in development organisations
7. Capture, preservation and democratisation of knowledge
8. Fair and dynamic knowledge markets
9. Safety, security, sustainability
10. Legal knowledge
11. Improved knowledge competences and knowledge work
12. Institutions of higher education to play an active role
13. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) for all

The next steps in the implementation of the Agenda Knowledge for Development Initiative (which was launched in 2015) will include: the inauguration of K4D partnerships (3 April, 2017), continuing to involve partners through statements and commitments, setting up K4D programmes in a growing number of cities to act as macro-regional hubs, providing and brokering knowledge services to master complex transdisciplinary challenges, creating world-leading transdisciplinary research and innovation programmes, including education and training, and maintaining the global dialogue.

During the Q&A, it was discussed that the UN will only remain relevant if it strengthens its role as a knowledge broker. Some of the main concerns focused on the lack of emphasis on traditional knowledge and the limited involvement of non-OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries.