Equity and Inclusion in African–European Knowledge Partnerships
Tandem talks
Location: Room 3 :  Salle Touria Chaoui - 26/03/2026, 16:00 - 26/03/2026, 17:30 (CET) (1 hour 30 minutes)

Click here to join the session online!


Session chair: Prof. Manuel Guilherme Júnior, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo (Mozambic)


Dr. Ute Schwaibold - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa)
Prof. Jussi Grießinger - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg (Austria)
Prof. Gudrun Zagel - Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg (Austria)
Prof.Yazidhi  Bamutaze-  Makerere University, Kampala (Uganda)

Equity and Inclusion in African–European Knowledge Partnerships 

This tandem talk series brings together researchers from African and European CIVIS partner universities to reflect on how equity and inclusion can be deepened within Africa–Europe knowledge partnerships. Drawing on their experiences from various cross-continental collaborations, the speakers examine what it means to engage in genuinely reciprocal and context-sensitive academic cooperation. 

The session explores how initiatives in curriculum co-development, participatory and community-based research, digital inclusion, and the integration of local knowledge systems can foster more equitable forms of collaboration. Each contribution offers insights from practical experiences in transregional projects, highlighting both opportunities and tensions in navigating differences in resources, institutional cultures, and epistemic traditions. 
Together, these reflections aim to articulate principles and practices for co-creating knowledge that is not only globally relevant but locally grounded. By situating inclusion, mutual respect, and epistemic justice at the centre of academic partnership, the session contributes to reimagining how African and European universities can collaborate in more ethical and sustainable ways. 



Dr. Zawadi Mageni Mboma-  Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara (Tanzania)
Dr. Mary Ryan,
University of Glasgow, Glasgow (Scotland) 
Learning, unlearning and relearning

Equitable partnership is critical for funders and partners seeking fairer ways of working, with its importance reflected in the high volume of guidance produced by various stakeholders. Most of this guidance tends to be framed around principles of best practice while omitting day-to-day practical elements as well as the trickier question of whose practice is best. Practical barriers to equitable international partnership manifest in many ways, from financial processes, funder regulations, and legal differences to differences in institutional capacity that range from research support to infrastructure. While some barriers are structural and are not within the power of institutions to change, there are many opportunities for institutions to enhance equity in international collaboration and therefore mitigate against some of the structural issues. Through enhanced understanding of the practical barriers to equitable partnership and working collaboratively to identify contextually relevant solutions, institutions can ensure their partnerships are more equitable and resilient. 

This presentation will draw on two decades of learning, unlearning and relearning between the University of Glasgow in Scotland and Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania. The session will highlight how these institutions have worked together to address the messy practicalities of equitable partnership, leading to enhanced connectivity. Attendees will gain insights into how to operationalize equity, particularly in Global South-Global North collaborations and hear about the mutual benefits for institutions that navigate challenges of equitable partnership together.


Africa Charter for Transformative 
Research Collaboration