Addressing the need for a socio-ecological transformation not only requires understanding of science, but also new ways of knowledge production that include expertise, experiences and visions of different societal groups.

In this context, ÖFSE focuses on stakeholder participation in the fields of international and sustainable development in theory and practice. Using an engagement and co-creation approach, we bring together diverse sets of stakeholders to explore varied perspectives and visions, with the goal of generating new scientific insights and developing innovative solutions for governance and policy-making.

We design participatory processes that include innovative dialogue and visioning formats. These processes focus on mutual listening, trust and creativity. Through inclusion, all participants are learners: Development policy organizations and researchers get to know the perspectives of stakeholders and thus gain a better understanding of the scope of problems and their priorities. The participating stakeholders actively co-design research questions, directions, and approaches that embrace the community’s scope of knowledge and viewpoints. Through this process, potential solution pathways are envisioned and explored.
Our main fields of activities are the conceptualization and implementation of stakeholder participation in research projects  and the design and facilitation of participatory processes and events.