Role transformations in collaborative R&D-projects as reciprocation between research, practice and policy

This paper discusses how roles in R&D-projects can transform and develop through the duration of a project and how different types of knowledge reciprocate with policy learning at different scales. Research, practice and policy represent different but interconnected social spheres, each with different interests, institutional rationalities and values. When different institutional rationalities meet in the setting of a collaborative R&D-project there are many factors that will affect process efficacy and project outcomes. In this paper we focus on how researchers and practitioners can fill different collaborative roles, work in desired or undesired pairings, through the duration of a R&D-project. The paper argues that through making role clarification and adaptation part of reciprocal processes, the likelihood of creating learning and added value for all parties can increase.