Work-Net International recently hosted a special event in AMBS as part of the Work and Equality Institute's (WEI) biennial Fairness at Work Conference. The event brought together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore the pivotal role of work and employment.
The event welcomed 26 of Work-Net International's 31 founding members to The University of Manchester to celebrate the official launch of the network, and featured panel discussions.
There were also welcome speeches from Professor Jill Rubery, Co-ordinator of Work-Net International and Executive Director of WEI, and Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester.
Public debate
Created to connect centres and institutes studying work and employment across the globe, Work-Net International aims to strengthen the influence of work and employment research on public debate and critical academic discourses.
The network's activities include facilitating exchange visits and collaborations, the creation of study groups to explore new challenges, and also providing specialised support for early career and doctoral researchers.
The longer-term goal for the network is to expand its geographical reach and support emerging centres of high-quality research in work and employment.
We recap the Work-Net launch event below - featuring videos with key highlights.
A warm welcome
Professor Jill Rubery, Coordinator of Work-Net International and Executive Director of the Work and Equalities Institute (WEI) at Alliance Manchester Business School introduced the network.
Watch Jill's welcome speech below:
Why does work and employment research matter?
Ten representatives from Work-Net International's Steering Group contributed to two key panel discussions exploring the importance, and potential challenges, of work and employment research.
The discussions were chaired by Jim Pendrill, Research Communications Officer at AMBS.
First panel
The first panel explored the importance of interdisciplinary and comparative research in addressing the challenges and opportunities in work and employment. Panellists included:
- Héloïse Petit, Research professor, CEET (Centre for the Study of Work and Employment), CNAM, Paris
- Ruth Castel-Branco, Senior Lecturer, SCIS (Southern Centre for Inequality Studies) Wits University Johannesburg
- Kristin Jesnes, Doctoral Researcher, Fafo, Oslo
- Mikkel Mailand, Head of research at FAOS (Employment Relations Research Centre), University of Copenhagen
- Roberto Pedersini, Professor and Director of Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Milan.
Watch the first panel discussion in the video below:
Second panel
The second panel considered how a holistic approach to work and employment research can inform policy debates, particularly in an ever-changing world of work and emerging challenges. Panellists included:
- Karen Jaehrling, Head of research for precarization, regulation, work quality, IAQ (Institute for Work, Skills and Training), University of Duisburg-Essen
- Ian Greer, Professor and Director of Ithaca Co-Lab, CAROW (Center for Applied Research on Work) ILR School, Cornell University
- Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau, Professor and Director of CRIMT (Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalisation and Work), University of Montreal Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau (CRIMT)
- Joan Miquel Verd, Professor and Director of QUIT (Sociological Research Centre on Everyday Life and Work), Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Mathew Johnson, Senior Lecturer, Work and Equalities Institute (WEI), University of Manchester.
Watch the second panel discussion in the video below:
The value of collaboration
In the final video, Professor Rubery is joined by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester and Sangheon Lee, Director of the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Employment Department, for the official launch of the network.
Watch the final discussion in the video below: