Research network in co-operation with ZALF e.V.

In view of global challenges such as food security, climate change and global health, which go beyond the scope of individual scientific disciplines, transdisciplinary collaborative projects are increasingly emerging in science. Such collaborative projects are temporary, complex systems - conflicts can easily arise that delay or jeopardise the success of the project.

In a case study, Christian Hochmuth, together with scientists from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) e. V., investigated the causes of conflict in an international research consortium and, based on this, developed guidelines for the design and implementation of conflict prevention and conflict management systems. In 2018, Katharina Löhr wrote her dissertation, "Conflict Prevention and Management (CPM) System in Transdisciplinary Research Collaborations: Potential and Constraints. The case of an international food security research project", for which Lars Kirchhoff acted as second reviewer.

The case study related to the international research project "Innovating strategies to safeguard food security using technology and knowledge transfer: A people-centred approach" (Trans-SEC) (duration 2013-2018), which was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Based on the key findings of the research project, a German and English-language guide to the design and implementation of conflict prevention and conflict management systems in collaborative projects was published in autumn 2017 (see Publications). The IKM focussed on the scientific monitoring of the conflict prevention and moderation system. In addition, employees of the Institute were involved in the implementation of the system as well as selectively in the training of conflict contact points and practical advice on the systematic choice of procedure. The results of the research work were presented at conferences and workshops.

Further research results already have been published in the course of the project.