International Projects 2005
Much of the research carried out through the Centre is team oriented and based on collaboration between researchers and the professions or particular communities. Such collaboration has ensured that CRAMS' expertise continues to be sought by government, professional and community groups for research and consultancies at national and international levels.
Thus, in 2005, Glenda Kupczyk-Romanczuk was funded to go to Cambodia and to Timor Leste to research how environmental issues were perceived by environmental educators, government department facilitators and by the community groups they worked with. To carry out this work, she used an innovative tool: the eco-word-web, to facilitate the collection and also the comparison of data. The work focussed on 'natural resources' and the findings revealed fundamental differences in understandings between the external agencies and the local people, which could have major implications for the ways in which future community development work is carried out. The work was funded by a UNE Research Priming Grant.
Further, in 2005, Dr Bob Boughton of CRAMS continued his work in East Timor on the emerging adult education system in that country, developing a five year action research project in partnership with the Ministry of Education’s Non-Formal Directorate. The aim of this project is to provide an evidence base which will assist the East Timorese to exert greater policy and program leadership in the field of adult education, and ensure that their adult education programs are helping them achieve their national development goals. This is one of several research and development projects now underway within the Faculty which strengthen UNE’s relationship with the world’s newest country. A small but growing postgraduate students, including several Timorese nationals, are also undertaking research through UNE on aspects of post-conflict peace-building and educational reconstruction in Timor.In addition, Dr Rebecca Spence of Peace Studies, a member of CRAMS, is a co-investigator on an ARC Linkage Grant project examining Australian-East Timor Friendship Programs, working with a group in Israel.As part of her AusAid training consultancy Dr Spence is presenting a 4-day training course to the AusAid country staff at the Regional Office, Bangkok. Dr Spence also received an invitation from the President of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions to visit the campus and discuss the setting up of a Peace Studies Centre and course of study. She will be discussing best practices and directions for the Peace Studies Centre. Dr Spence will also conduct a series of workshops over three days discussing what the core focus areas of research and teaching might be.
International Projects 2004
Dr Bob Boughton was one of the international guest speakers at the First National Literacy Conference in Timor-Leste . Contacts made at this conference, and Boughton's long standing involvement with the people of Timor are spear-heading CRAMS' commitment to a large research program involving community capacity building in this area for 2004 - 2005.
Glenda Kupczyk-Romanczuk continued her work in the Mekong Delta and, on the basis of the research team, comprising Glenda Kupczyk-Romanczuk, Dr Bob Boughton, and Dr Rebecca Spence.
Dr Rebecca Spence continued collaborative research with the University of Queensland, Caritas Australia, Brisbane City Council and the Brisbane East Timor Association for Development Co-operation. This three year ARC Linkage project sets out to deepen understanding of societies struggling with the legacy of protracted violence and conflict, and through practical measures, to strengthen the capacities of the international community to support societies facing this situation. At the same time, the study aims to strengthen understanding of East Timor, as a new and particularly vulnerable state within Australia's immediate region. The study has a particular focus on questions of justice and reconciliation at both a formal and an 'informal' level. Dr Spence travelled to Oecusse and Dili in May/June 2004 where she negotiated the parameters of the research project with Caritas staff, members of other International and local Non Government Organisations and District Administrators. She has since been interviewing members of the 39 Local Government Associations in Australia that have friendship agreements with local government counterparts in Timor Leste in order to ascertain the development aspirations of the Australian local government associations and how these plans will impede or encourage longer term peace, development and sustainability in Timor Leste.
Dr Spence also collaborated with Professor Helen Ware (PD&L) and Associate Professor Peter Ninnes and Dr Bert Jenkins (CREC) in a project to develop curriculum resources for peace and post-conflict recovery on Bougainville. This project is being funded by a grant of $40 000 from the United States Institute of Peace.
Dr Jonathan Makuwira carried out research in Bougainville, concentrating on the changing partnership between the Leitana Nehan Women's Development Agency and AusAID.
