May 20th, 2025 | 12:00 – 13:00 (CEST). Seminarraum 3.03 Global South Studies Center (GSSC), Classen-Kappelmann-Straße 24, 50931 Köln
GSSC Seminar Series
20 May 2025
Is the Africa Charter a Helpful Tool in Creating a More Inclusive and Transformative Global Science Culture?
Michael Bollig (Project A04 Future Conservation), Stephan Milich (University of Cologne) & Michaela Pelican (University of Cologne)
The Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaboration is a framework developed by key African higher education and research bodies to advance equitable research collaborations with other regions. It aims to address power imbalances in global research by promoting a more just and pluriversal scientific effort, where Africa plays a central role. To date, it has been signed by 95 institutions of higher education in the Global South and 27 in the Global North. Among the latter are the African Studies Association Germany and the Coimbra group. In this seminar, we wish to discuss the principles for transformative research collaborations set out in the Charter as well as the aspiration for change in policy and regulatory frameworks. The discussion will be guided by the question: Is the Africa Charter a helpful tool in creating a more inclusive and transformative global science culture?
Please familiarize yourself with the Africa Charter in preparation of the seminar: https://parc.bristol.ac.uk/africa-charter/ (10-page document)