Engagement and accountability in transdisciplinary space in Mongolia: principles for facilitating a reflective adaptive process in complex teams

Abstract

This paper explores how Reflective Adaptive Processes (RAP) may facilitate communication in transdisciplinary research and examine stakeholder engagement across funders, researchers, and research end users. RAP is a change process wherein participants collectively question, reflect, and address challenges facing research and teamwork. We examine RAP through frameworks of reflective inquiry, systems thinking, social and transformative learning, and participative reflection. We introduce the Mongolian Rangelands and Resilience (MOR2) project to highlight stakeholder complexity, knowledge integration, and potential tensions in transdisciplinary research. Bridging theory and lessons from MOR2, we provide stakeholder engagement and accountability indicators for research teams and organizations to reflect and take action. Based on literature and MOR2 experiences, we provide our lessons learned and principles for facilitating RAP across transdisciplinary research teams. These principles may facilitate the communication of transdisciplinary research needs, transformative learning, and the development of outreach action plans for bridging science-management gaps. Key words: Reflective Adaptive Process, transdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement