Beyond dissemination: knowledge exchange, impact and the active researcher

Knowledge exchange encompasses all processes of two-way exchange between researchers and research users, either for their own worth or to achieve wider societal impact. It moves beyond dissemination through to co-productive engagement and methods. At its best, knowledge exchange is a method, rather than an after-thought. Developing the skills and tools necessary for knowledge exchange should be treated with the same rigour as the development of research skills. This is especially pertinent in Migration Studies - as an often highly salient, but sometimes polarising, research topic which engages with communities of lived experience, the need for the engaged and active researcher is pressing, but must not lead to knee-jerk or superficial engagement. This chapter explores core principles for becoming an active researcher - starting from anchoring all engagement within the rigour of academic research findings, the importance of developing long-term partnerships and engagement based on equal footings and the need to develop core skills over the course of a career.