A Symposium on Enhancing Engagement, Co-production, and Collaborative Meaning-Making in Qualitative Health Research (360G-Wellcome-203754_Z_16_Z)

Traditional "lone researcher" models of qualitative research have shifted to include more collaborative ways of researching, with research participants and other stakeholders viewed as partners in the co-production of knowledge. As well as working alongside "lay researchers", qualitative researchers increasingly work in teams with colleagues unfamiliar with qualitative methods. This is largely driven by calls to engage the public in the production of knowledge and penetrate borders between disciplines. As a result, research is assumed to become more relevant to users’ needs, ethical, and broadly applicable, and is key to requirements of funding bodies and the Research Excellence Framework. However, such collaboration is complex and creates challenges for qualitative researchers. We will explore these issues in a one-day symposium hosted by University College London (UCL), and attended by 150 UK and international delegates. The symposium will provide a platform to develop critical perspectives on: How collaborative relationships are established and embedded, and particularly how qualitative researchers are positioned in multidisciplinary teams; How research designs, data interpretation and reporting are negotiated and enacted; The extent to which "lay researchers" offer the views and experiences of groups they represent and how marginalised groups are accommodated. Keywords: qualitative research, health, collaboration, engagement, symposium