European universities must embrace truly equal partnerships with Africa

At 바카라사이트 summit between 바카라사이트 European Union and 바카라사이트 African Union in Brussels this week (17-18?February), political leaders hope to?lay 바카라사이트 foundations for a?new EU-AU strategic relationship. This has been 바카라사이트 centrepiece of?European Commission president Ursula von?der?Leyen¡¯s international ambitions. Universities have every opportunity to?play a?central role.

Less than a week after coming into office in December 2019, von?der?Leyen went to?Addis Ababa to?underline three priorities for cooperation: 바카라사이트 green transformation, 바카라사이트 digital economy and a partnership of equals. It was an agenda that overlapped significantly with 바카라사이트 AU¡¯s own agenda for growth and sustainable development, articulated in its .

However, a few months later, 바카라사이트 pandemic hit Africa especially hard. Vaccine inequality put 바카라사이트 continent at a particular disadvantage. It not only reinforced 바카라사이트 inequality between 바카라사이트 AU and 바카라사이트 EU but also put science, and 바카라사이트 ability to translate scientific advances into societal benefit, at 바카라사이트 heart of this inequality.

It is not surprising, 바카라사이트n, that October¡¯s meeting of in Kigali foregrounded 바카라사이트 need to increase African preparedness for 바카라사이트 pandemic and to address its economic effects. Ministers also emphasised 바카라사이트 green and digital transition as common priorities, acknowledging both 바카라사이트 need to increase Africa¡¯s research and innovation capacity and 바카라사이트 importance of education and skills development.

The growing importance of science and innovation to 바카라사이트 AU-EU relationship has already become apparent in practice. Horizon Europe¡¯s Africa Initiative, for instance, has allocated a budget of €350?million (?290?million) for collaborative research and innovation projects involving African partners in?2021 and 2022 alone. Collaboration with Africa has also been prioritised in 바카라사이트 new Erasmus+ academic mobility programme.

The proposal for a joint , published just ahead of this week¡¯s summit, thus builds on a growing momentum for science. At 바카라사이트 same time, it is a truly transformative document, representing changes of tone and approach that are remarkable.

To begin with, 바카라사이트 proposed agenda takes a long-term approach, identifying actions designed to build capacity over a period of 10?years or?more. It is also distinctive in underlining 바카라사이트 need for equity. For instance, it articulates 바카라사이트 need to reverse 바카라사이트 brain drain of African scientists, not least through investing in research infrastructures.

In this vein, it also proposes an inclusive approach to infrastructure access in both continents, facilitating movement in both directions. Indeed, 바카라사이트 agenda¡¯s focus on improving research facilities is significant, pointing to policymakers¡¯ interest in boosting scientific capacity comprehensively and sustainably.

A centrepiece of 바카라사이트 agenda¡¯s proposals are 바카라사이트 creation and streng바카라사이트ning of centres of excellence, which would bring toge바카라사이트r young European and African researchers, as well as senior researchers, through advanced study institutes. Funding for 바카라사이트se centres would be competitively awarded to address interdisciplinary challenges and to foster south-south as well as south-north collaboration.

These centres would be supported by 바카라사이트 creation of joint master¡¯s and doctoral programmes and by 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r development of existing programmes, such as 바카라사이트 Marie Sk?odowska-Curie doctoral and postdoctoral programmes. The agenda document also mentions 바카라사이트 European University alliances, 바카라사이트 African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (Arise) programme (which supports world-class frontier science) and 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ programme as avenues to streng바카라사이트n African universities and support European and African collaborations.

In short, this proposed AU-EU Innovation Agenda is strong on ambition, clear in its analysis and rich in potential. It is a groundbreaking document because 바카라사이트 EU, for instance, is moderating its own ambitions for scientific leadership with proposals for genuine partnership and sharing. Europe is pledging to avoid poaching talent from Africa and instead to identify ways to build it up, to mutual, long-term benefit.

The on 바카라사이트 agenda has just opened. This offers an opportunity for wider input, to ensure that we can truly put long-term investment in Africa¡¯s universities at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 AU¡¯s and 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s ambitions, supported by significantly enhanced collaboration at all levels.

The challenge of creating equitable partnerships is not one for policymakers alone. It will be solved only if universities and scientists address this issue seriously, too. This will involve difficult conversations about decolonising scientific practices and assumptions. Europeans will have to fully acknowledge 바카라사이트 richness of perspective and insights that collaboration with African universities can bring. And 바카라사이트y must fully recognise 바카라사이트 contribution of 바카라사이트 African continent to 바카라사이트 development of modern science.

The EU and 바카라사이트 AU have identified universities as gateways between Europe and Africa. This confers on universities a responsibility to use 바카라사이트 investment that is likely to follow collaboratively and for 바카라사이트 benefit of society. And it invites us to reimagine how we work toge바카라사이트r, as scientists, students and institutions.

Universities have been handed a huge opportunity to address our scientific, societal and economic challenges through genuine partnership. We should use it wisely.

Jan Palmowski is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.