Una Europa–Africa Partnership
Una Europa has partnered with eight African universities (Eduardo Mondlane University; Kampala International University; Makerere University; University of Ghana; University of Johannesburg; Université de Kinshasa; University of Nairobi; University of the Witwatersrand) to achieve a common vision: building a vibrant community of researchers across Europe and Africa to address global challenges.
A partnership grounded in co-creation
In May 2022, representatives from Una Europa and African universities came together for the first time at Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet to explore avenues for collaboration. Regular meetings and co-creation workshops culminated in the Una Europa–Africa Partnership Vision and Roadmap grounded in the following shared values:
- A strong shared commitment to strategic collaboration across research, innovation, education and outreach, and community building.
- Focus on actions to create a vibrant and diverse international community of researchers across Africa and Europe by supporting the growth and development of early-career researchers, with a specific focus on addressing global challenges.
- Agreement on shared partnership values (i.e. equity, diversity, openness, trust) and excellence principles (i.e. ambition, impact, co-creation, innovation) which underpin the partnership.
United by these shared values, the Partnership is committed to supporting globally connected co-creators of our shared future through strategic collaboration across research, education and societal outreach.
In May 2022, representatives from Una Europa and African universities came together for the first time at Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet to explore avenues for collaboration.
Representatives from all six UnaVEx project partners gathered at University of Johannesburg in April 2024 to kick off the project with three days of in-person meetings.
Dr Lee-Ann Modley will lead University of Johannesburg’s work to pilot a virtual exchange framework for sustainability education under the UnaVEx project.
Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet colleagues from the UnaVEx project gathered at University of Johannesburg in April 2024..
" For Una Europa, it is crucial to work together with our neighbouring continent Africa to ensure we can jointly continue to address global challenges and ensure our students are equipped for what the future will bring. "
Sari Lindblom
Rector, Helsingin yliopisto/Helsingfors universitet
“Whatever we do, we do it for the next generation”
The University of the Future must ensure graduates are future-ready in an increasingly interconnected world. Reflecting this commitment, the Una Europa-Africa Partnership vision statement is “Whatever we do, we do it for the next generation”. Examples of the Partnership’s activities include:
- Una Europa-Africa Seed Funding Call: Launched in October 2023, the Seed Funding Call supports researchers to embark on intercontinental research partnerships to tackle global challenges.
- UnaVEx: The Una Europa for Virtual Exchange (UnaVEx) project aims to harness the power of virtual exchange to bring 2,500 university students together across Europe and Africa to empower the next generation of sustainability advocates.
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