PhD Courses in Denmark

Welcome to Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Participatory Research: Advancing Methodologies for Social Impact

Description: The course is trans-disciplinary meaning that research participants may be patients, teachers, consumers etc. that are considered experts within a practice that is somehow being developed through a research initiative.  Based in different research paradigms and traditions, the course focuses on various forms of participatory research such as design-based research, user-centered design, co-production, or community-based participatory research (CBPR) / participatory action research (PAR). The course will explore the distinctive goals underlying such different forms of participatory research and examine the varying degrees of participation within the research process. Furthermore, course participants will discuss questions around the inclusion of participants and stakeholders at different stages or the distribution of power within the research process.  The course will shed light on a spectrum of methods employed in participatory research, ranging from conventional to innovative and arts-based approaches. Course participants will gain a holistic understanding of participatory designs and methods across disciplines and will be encouraged to critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of each approach.  The goal is that course participants will be able to discuss, evaluate and express how they invite, interact with and position research participants in their projects.

Prerequisites: The course is open to all PhD students who work with complex problems and are interested in participatory methods across disciplines (e.g., learning, engineering, health sciences, environmental studies, urban planning, social sciences etc.). As the course uses a PBL-setup, students are expected to bring their own PhD-project-related problems and work in interdisciplinary groups preparing and improving their research design and methods.

Learning objectives: The course has several learning objectives:  

- Ph.D. students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and limitations of various participatory research paradigms and methodologies.  

- Ph.D. students will be able to critically analyze processes associated with change across different contexts (e.g., patient, citizen, learner) and disciplines (e.g., learning, engineering, health sciences, environmental studies, urban planning, social sciences).  

- Ph.D. students will be able to explore and critically evaluate questions regarding the inclusion of community members and stakeholders at different stages of the research process and the distribution of power within these processes. Moreover, they will be able to understand and navigate the ethical considerations and challenges inherent in participatory research, ensuring responsible and respectful engagement with community members and stakeholders.  

- Ph.D. students will gain knowledge of a broad spectrum of methods employed in participatory research, including innovative and arts-based methods, and understand their application in different research contexts.

Teaching methods: The course employs several teaching methods, namely: Self-study activities (reading recommended literature, pre and post course assignments)   

Lectures with practical exercises (in face-to-face mode), Group work, Reflective team exercises, Peer and written feedback.

Criteria for assessment: Active participation 

Two student assignments:  

- Written presentation of the students' PhD-projects, with a focus on participatory research elements (1000 words)  

- Reflective paper that critically engages with the course literature and reflects on the students' personal learning experiences, including how the participatory methods and approaches discussed in the course could be applied to their PhD research projects (3000-4000 words)

Key literature: TBD

Organizer: Verena Lenneis and Stine Ejsing-Duun

Lecturers: Verena Lenneis and Stine Ejsing-Duun

ECTS: 3.0

Time: 18 - 19 November 2025

Place: Aalborg University (Room: TBA)

Zip code: 9220

City: Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 25

Deadline: 28 October 2025