Europe & the Africa Charter

About the event

Leading higher education professionals and government representatives from across Europe and Africa came together at this event to consider how institutions, funders and networks across the two continents can get involved with – and help implement the principles of – the Africa Charter.

“Unequal outputs are common in present relationships – there is a need for a greater role of African universities in outputs”

Prof Bosire Onyancha, Head of Research and Graduate Studies, University of South Africa

Group discussions

One of the most fruitful parts of the workshop was a series of small group discussions, whose outcomes are synthesised below.

Eurocentric Epistemologies, theories and concepts

To address power imbalances arising through the dominant use of Eurocentric epistemologies, concepts and theories, discussions highlighted the need for researchers, universities and broader policy to foster an active openness to engaging with alternative knowledge systems.

The importance of co-creation as a starting point and mechanism for redressing the development frame was a central theme of discussions. Participants also considered approaches to countering the unidirectional gaze which underwrites imbalanced collaborative practices.

Use of European Languages

In considering implications of power imbalances arising through the dominance of former colonial European languages in collaborative research, in particular English, discussions emphasised the inherent exclusion of Southern epistemologies. Equally, the marginalisation of certain communities both inside and outside of academia, as well as the privileging of Northern scholars in research publications was focused upon.

To address these issues, participants discussed the ways in which simultaneous publication of research in African national and local languages might be achieved as a norm. More broadly, there was concern that actions to address language-related imbalances may end up reifying, rather than genuinely challenging, the present dominance of European languages within science and research.

The Development Frame

Concerning disparities in institutional resourcing and infrastructures, discussions highlighted negative impacts on African scholars’ access to literature (pay-walled journals and books) and scientific equipment and the implications of bureaucratic norms that favoured European partner institutions.

The central importance of funding regimes for redressing such disparities was discussed, and emphasis placed on the need to ensure that significant financial contribution and investment in research from African partners and actors becomes the norm. Long-term cross-continental collaborative investments are needed, in scientific infrastructures and targeted training, as well as efforts to enhance global south representation and autonomy in funding infrastructures.

Disparities in institutional resourcing and infrastructures

It can be difficult for Southern scholars to secure visas or sufficient funding to visit Northern institutions, conferences or research activities, significantly limiting their mobility and ability to engage.

Money and its management were seen as a core imbalance within most partnerships to date; with inequities in Northern and African scholars’ access to rewards, specifically authorship on publication, emerging from the collaboration, also a common experience. A move to non-hierarchical forms of collaboration is urgently needed. There was recognition amongst participants that higher education leaders are working within demanding and often dynamic political contexts that can constrain action.

Considering these challenges, the potential for the Africa Charter to become a standard for best practice and to rebalance the global science and research ecosystem was discussed. A need for long-term focused work to establish robust funding and policy infrastructures was highlighted.

Consensus

Workshop participants agreed that institutional changes required long-term commitment in the face of entrenched and resistant structures and established norms. To address the challenges, it was suggested that reciprocal positions were made available for Southern scholars in Northern governance bodies and vice versa.

Another suggestion was the need to map our own positions and consider how best to use influence to leverage change. Underwriting these multi-scalar interrogations, an emerging theme was the perspective that the future of African research should be defined by African actors themselves. For Africa to take its place in worldwide science, Africa must be its own centre.

For European partners, this requires a form of de-coloniality. Such actions demand a need to build obsolescence into certain areas of work if equity can be realised. In seeking to give primacy in Africa situated research, to priorities of African scholars, governments and institutions, policies such as the 2063 Agenda were highlighted as those which can shape future action.

“We need to move from a community of interest to a community of action.”

Isabella Aboderin, Chair in Africa Research and Partnerships, Director of PARC