Global Transformation in IARU Member Strategies

This initiative intends to establish a new institutional learning activity on relations with emerging and developing countries in the context of globalisation.

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The Global Transformation Initiative will convene a roundtable session at the international conference 'Asia and Africa in Transition', on 28 June 2021 at the University of Copenhagen.

The roundtable session is entitled 'Global Transformation: Strengthening institutional capacities within African or Asian research and education hubs' and will take place on 28 June 2021 (15:45-17:45 (local time: GMT+2). The conference is hybrid - everyone can attend virtually for single sessions or the entire conference. Several IARU institutions are represented at the roundtable with their African and/or Asian research hubs (ETH Zurich, NUS, UC Berkeley, University of Cape Town, University of Copenhagen).

Registration for the conference is now open. The programme of the entire three day conference (28-30 June 2021) is also available. 

Scope

Academic institutions worldwide are being profoundly affected by globalization and the rapid economic development in many countries, especially in emerging economies and developing countries.

The global university functions as a global web of knowledge, talent, and assets, and becomes a point of differentiation for its home base …. These universities think and act globally, and they deliver both locally and globally. Not all global universities are evolving from the pool of historically great research institutions. New entrants in higher education, responding to unmet demand for education and knowledge in the world, are attempting to leapfrog to the global arena by leveraging mobility and connectivity.

Jean-Luc Chameau, former president of Caltech, now president of KAUST, Saudi Arabia

IARU member universities can be considered global universities as defined by Chameau. So far, no institution from a developing country is represented in IARU. In the past historically great research institutions built their international relations on the paradigm of a bipolar world which at the academic level frequently led to two types of international relations: peer-to-peer relations with similar universities in the “Global North”, and largely asymmetric partnerships with institutions in emerging and developing countries. Such collaboration has often been triggered by humanitarian motives and incentives of the development cooperation sector.

Under the influence of globalization, the focus of partnerships with universities in emerging and developing countries is shifting. As developing countries are investing into strengthening their academic institutions, the number of potential partners – and at the same time - competing institutions is growing.

Chameau argues that such partnerships can bring benefits to both sides:

• Established universities bring experience and reputation while emerging universities bring the energy of a 'start-up' along with resources.
• Established universities can accelerate their discoveries through expanded resources and emerging universities gain the experience and credibility of the network.

Vision Statement

IARU institutions share a commitment to addressing the global challenges of our time.

The IARU Global Transformation Initiative focuses on the rapidly changing nature of our globalized world, which can no longer be understood in terms of a simple North-South divide in either the problems it faces or the delivery of solutions. Committing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Initiative perceives transformation as a global challenge and an opportunity, affecting both rich and poor countries alike, although in different ways.

The IARU Global Transformation Initiative recognizes and strives to address persistent asymmetries in power, resources, and opportunities through the sharing of experiences and expertise in research, education and other related activities among IARU institutions and their partners. We firmly believe that, by leveraging our collective strengths, we can identify and capitalize on opportunities for shared innovative projects which, through cross institutional synergies, will lead to greater outcomes than would flow from their individual efforts.

Activities

IARU is an alliance of global universities. In view of the increasing importance and dynamic shifts in weight between different world regions, IARU member universities formed an institutional learning activity to share their experiences and strategic considerations on their interaction with partners in emerging and developing countries, at the institutional level as well as with respect to research alliances and capacity building.

The proposal foresees a meeting of Emerging and Developing Country Relations Officers from the partner universities for exchange of experience and mutual learning on the role and relevance of developing countries in the strategic thinking of the IARU universities. As a follow-up of the workshop, two options for further action are envisaged: to establish a working group for the elaboration of guidelines or principles on relations with emerging and developing countries, or a Standing Panel for continuous exchange and potential advisory services.

Guideline for research partnerships between Global North and Global South

The GT group, lead by ETH Zürich, has elaborated a guideline for ‘Principles for Integrity and Fairness in Research Partnerships between Global North and Global South’. Please find the guideline here.