The way forward for African-European university collaboration

As argued by Lenin, “there are decades where nothing happens, and weeks where decades happen”.

We are currently in a period where far-reaching global transformations are taking place that, until recently, were unthinkable. First and foremost, the war in Ukraine, which does not only have a major impact on the global political order and economic trade patterns, but also on global scientific relations.

The cutting of all formal scientific ties with Russia by the West is almost unprecedented and could mark the end of science diplomacy as an important means for maintaining intergovernmental relations in times of political disagreements and conflicts.

The transformations instigated by the war run the risk of leading towards a world once again dominated by unilateral strategies of a few major powers. This raises the question whether there is an alternative way forward that is grounded in multilateralism.

A highly impressive plea for multilateralism was made by the Kenyan United Nations Ambassador, Dr Martin Kimani, during the security council meeting of 24 February which marked the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine: “At independence … rather than form nations that looked ever backward into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness none of our many nations and peoples had ever known … We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression.”

Potential to renew global scientific relationships

These basic features of a new multilateral world order form the foundation for the joint agreement signed by the African and European unions on 18 February 2022.

Unfortunately, this unique, innovative agreement has, in media coverage and public attention, ended up in the shadow of the Ukrainian war.

Nonetheless, it might have a significant influence in the coming years by providing a new way forward towards a multilateral world characterised by equitable partnerships among unequal countries.

As part of their overall agreement, the two unions launched a joint Innovation Agenda that is widely acknowledged as having the potential of fundamentally renewing global scientific relationships.

While the main features of the Innovation Agenda (IA) have been discussed quite extensively over the past weeks, how to realise its potential in practice has received less attention until now. From recent conferences and policy discussions, the following issues of relevance for the successful implementation of the Innovation Agenda can be identified.

What is the way forward for the IA?

First, the joint IA represents a move from scientific collaboration based on development aid to collaboration through equal, strategic partnerships of university alliances from both continents, which should involve associate partners from the private and public sectors.

This implies a growing emphasis on the responsibility of involved universities for the further development and implementation of the agenda. The implication of this for the institutional collaboration strategies and practices will need to be thoroughly discussed and followed up at all involved universities in Africa and Europe.

Second, the IA has a long-term perspective and shifts the key mode of scientific collaborations from projects to joint, multi-year programmes developed and implemented by alliances consisting of universities and their associate private- and public-sector partners from both continents.

The IA identifies key actions for three periods: short-term (the next three years), medium-term (three to six years from now) and long-term (six to 10 years from now). African and European universities are expected to interpret these actions and integrate them in the strategies and operational plans of their alliances in order to show how they will contribute to realisation of the unions’ scientific ambitions.

A key element is the development of African-European clusters of excellence in prioritised scientific areas, such as climate change and sustainable energy, public health and digital transformations.

This implies for universities the need to develop with all partners in their alliance a long-term collaboration strategy that will allow the alliance to apply successfully in 6-10 years from now for the cluster of excellence status.

Third, while a large part of the financial foundation for the agenda will come from the EU, it cannot be successfully implemented without considerable increases in public funding in research and development and higher education by public authorities in African countries.

Fourth, the long experience of European universities in working in networks and alliances can provide a relevant input for emerging African-European university networks and alliances. For example, the CIVIS European University alliance has invited six African universities to join CIVIS as associate partners. This can be a relevant model for how other European university alliances can invite African partners.

There is also ample opportunity for developing new African-European alliances that are based, for example, on existing bilateral projects.

What all will have to incorporate, however, is an acknowledgement of the unique, innovative nature of these alliances. This implies that each alliance needs to contribute to scientific capacity building in an integrated way, that is, it needs to show how it will integrate capacity building in various areas, including master and doctoral education, young scholar career opportunities, research infrastructure, knowledge transfer units, and so on.

How to become a cluster of excellence

Fifth, it is important that African-European university alliances that want to apply for a cluster of excellence status are building their joint activities on existing strengths, capacities and ambitions. This implies, for example, that, both on the African and the European side, the core of the alliances should be formed by research-intensive universities.

But that does not apply to all partners, since the aim is to use these clusters for strengthening research capacity also in universities that are currently not research-intensive. This requires careful planning when it comes to the composition of the alliances.

Sixth, African and European universities should make sure to provide relevant input into the AU-EU Innovation Agenda hearing (with the initial deadline of 23 May, 2022).

Too often in the past, the voice of universities was absent in the processes determining the framework conditions for scientific collaboration.

Also, in this respect the IA is pioneering by inviting the university community to contribute to its further development.

The involved politicians and bureaucrats have created a unique window of opportunity for universities in Africa and Europe to significantly strengthen their collaboration.

It is now up to the universities to show that they are able to use this opportunity, not only to their advantage, but also to the advantage of their local and national communities.

Peter Maassen is professor in higher education studies at the faculty of education, University of Oslo, Norway.