The Center for Knowledge Co-creation and Development Research (CKC)
Since 2024, the Center for Knowledge Co-creation and Development Research (CKC) has been implementing the Participatory Action Research on Organisational Capacity Strengthening (PAROCS). This is an applied research activity aimed at objectively assessing the strengths and limitations of organisational capacity, identifying areas for improvement to more effectively fulfill the organisation’s mission and development goals, while also expanding connections and cooperation with scientific and technological organisations both domestically and internationally.
Research Approach: The “Five Capacities” Framework
The research uses the “Five Capacities” approach as its central analytical framework, including:
- Capacity to Deliver Results
- Capacity to Act and Commit
- Capacity to Create Coherence
- Capacity to Relate
- Capacity to Renew and Adapt
To obtain objective and systematic assessments of the organisation, CKC conducts annual Organisational Capacity Evaluation Sessions, creating a multidimensional and interdisciplinary space among stakeholders. These sessions enabled the Center to reflect on its organisational development across the five areas outlined above.
Three-Year Implementation Process (2024-2026):
– 2024 – Laying the Foundation through the Photovoice Research Approach: CKC conducted its first Organisational Capacity Evaluation Session in 2024, using the Photovoice Research Approach. The method enabled the Center to identify its core capacities, development opportunities, and key development priorities, while laying the foundation for the subsequent implementation of the PAROCS research.
The First Year (2024) – Using Photovoice Research Method
– 2025 – Expanding Partnerships and Refining The Research Methodology: CKC organised a working session with rresearchers from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH), GreenViet, and the Australian Volunteers Program. In addition to developing the research plan for the next phase, the session strengthened the exchange of practical experience, helped identify organisational capacity gaps, and informed capacity-strengthening directions towards sustainable development. The use of Photovoice, Most Significant Change (MSC), or Participatory Workshops was further refined, contributing to the development of organisational capacity reflection and assessment process that is responsive to CKC’s operational context.
The Second Year (2025) – Expanding Partnerships and Refining the Research Methodology
– 2026 – The Five Capacities Approach and conclusion of the research phase: The 2026 Organisational Capacity Evaluation Session was held in July 2026, bringing together nearly 30 representatives from government agencies, research institutes, educational institutions, and CKC’s partners and affiliated organisations. Using the five capacities approach, the representatives reflected collectively on changes in CKC’s organisational capacities through a series of group discussions, identifying key strengths, areas for further improvement, and development priorities for the next phase.
The Third Year (2026) – The Five Capacities Approach and conclusion of the research phase
Results and Next Steps
The insights and recommendations from the PAROCS research will provide valuable information for CKC to continue learning, adapting, and advancing sustainable development based on the Center’s core values and mission.
Through this participatory assessment process, CKC continues to reaffirm its commitment to fostering a culture of learning, self-renewal improvement, innovation, and collaboration, with the aim of enhancing organisational effectiveness and making a greater contribution to the sustainable development of communities and society.
