Research Priorities
The WKSS has recently updated its research priorities. Early in its mandate WKSS went through a thorough and systematic process to develop its approach to research. This involved identification of each Partner's concerns and priorities, review of existing information and gaps, consultation with key players in the WKSS area, analysis of expected development activities and potential regional level effects. In the end this resulted in 10 Priority Research Themes that set out the areas of research WKSS would support. In addition the Partners explicitly recognized that scientific and traditional knowledge had equal value and encouraged both kinds of research on the individual research questions. They also set out general guiding principles regarding the kinds of research they wished to support, ranging from the need to work at a regional level to encouragement of community involvement.
Research Priorities
Traditional and Scientific Knowledge
Guiding Principles
Proposal Requirements
WKSS is now taking a focused strategic approach to its projects. During 1996-2001, WKSS issued requests for proposals (RFPs) every six months to organizations and individuals wishing to do research to answer one or more of the WKSS Research Questions. The RFPs were published in two major northern newspapers, News/North and Nunatsiaq News, and through the WKSS website. WKSS developed guidelines for all scientific proposals to follow, and a second set of guidelines for Traditional Knowledge Research proposals.
Proposal Guidelines
Traditional Knowledge Research Guidelines
Proposal Approval
All proposals to WKSS went through a thorough review by the Study Office, independent experts, WKSS sub-committees and the Management Board.
Proposal Approval Process
Report Approval
Each project was required to submit activity reports, an annual progress report and a final report. The Board established a review protocol for all annual and final reports to make sure they were sound before releasing them to the public. First each report was reviewed by the Study Office, then it was sent out to two independent experts on the subject and finally it was signed off by the Chair. Reports that did not receive approval at any point in the review process were sent back for revision. Once the report completed the review protocol it was released to the public and placed on the WKSS website.
Access to Data
Data from all WKSS research is publicly available. The data is held confidential for 18 months after completion of each research project to allow for publication. Researchers and others wishing to access the data before this can request a Data Release Form from the researcher and the WKSS office.
Data Release Form