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RDI activities in the Global South – with a pluralistic worldview towards a sustainable future

Kirjoittajat:

Virpi Turkulainen

tutkimuspalvelupäällikkö
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu

Malin Wikstedt

senior specialist in research funding
University of Vaasa

Published : 21.08.2025

A major share of the global population is living in poverty: 3.5 billion people are poor, of which 700 million are considered extremely poor. The situation is especially severe in the Global South, where for example 67 percent of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa are living in extreme poverty and global warming, among others, is expected to dramatically worsen the situation in the next decades. (World Bank 2024.)

By engaging in various types of RDI activities (research, development and innovation) in the Global South, we have numerous possibilities to reduce poverty and facilitate development towards a more sustainable future for all. For a researcher, teacher or research management and administration (RMA) professional from Finland, collaborative projects with partners from the Global South might be the norm and subsequently, considerations on ethics, equality, and inclusion based on our Western standards a part of that (e.g. The Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity 2023; The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity 2023; UNIPID ethical guidelines academic partnerships 2024).

However, the world in the Global South might look very different as we describe in our earlier publication Research management and administration in the global world – the challenging asset of collaboration (eSignals 2023). While this might be true, it is a generic and rather blunt statement – it begs the question of what it actually means in practice that the world looks different in different parts of the world. Especially, what different perspectives do RDI actors, including researchers, teachers, and RMAs have to take into account? 

International collaboration in RDI activities

One way to perceive human rights is to consider them as rights to different aspects of freedom. Poverty, then, can be seen as the lack of freedom and agency, in addition to traditional lenses of lack of nutrition and education then facilitates freedom and ability to act upon one’s personal goals and hence, provides an opportunity for a more sustainable future. (Sen 2005.) International collaboration among organisations, such as higher education institutions (HEIs), is often considered the best opportunity to facilitate development towards a better and more sustainable future (Valtioneuvosto 2020).

In Finland, both traditional universities and universities of applied sciences have been able to receive increased funding for international RDI activities. The amount of international funding that universities of applied sciences have received has increased from 49 million (2019) to about 73 million Euros (2023) (vipunen.fi).

The Erasmus+ Capacity Building -program provides opportunities for joint RDI activities in the Global South. Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) is targeted for international projects in the higher education sector, for example, for the development of higher education to facilitate socio-economic recovery, growth and wellbeing in developing countries as well as to respond to the general developments, such as globalisation, increased vulnerability and economic, social, and environmental inequality. Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education projects are expected to facilitate the achievement of political goals agreed by the European Commission and program partner countries in terms of the development of higher education quality, student skills, knowledge, and employment potential as well as to support participation, diversity, equality, inclusiveness, and global citizenship in higher education. Other objectives of the program include the development of teaching and evaluation methods, quality management, innovation, knowledge, digital skills, entrepreneurial mindset, and internationalization of schools. (European Commission 2025.)

Haaga-Helia published its RDI impact vision in 2024 (Koivisto & Huttunen 2024). As one area of targeted impact with the RDI activities is to support opportunities for a good life globally, a vehicle for this is Erasmus+ projects. They are considered important as they provide an opportunity to impact sustainable future on a global scale.

In Haaga-Helia, ENCORE project aimed to promote entrepreneurship education, facilitate creation of an entrepreneurial mind set and disruptive business development, as well as entrepreneurial university-business collaboration in Bhutan, Nepal, and Laos. The purpose of the TeProD project is to empower Higher Education (HEI) teachers and students with knowledge and skills in Twin transition (green and digital transitions) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The project will achieve this through training, curriculum development, pedagogy and use of AI and digital tools in education as well as industry collaboration. And yet, another example is the BeGlobal project that aims to facilitate internationalisation of higher education and active world citizenship in Columbia and Chile for the development of social equality and cohesion in these areas. The project promotes the use of innovative pedagogical paths and gamification for HEI teachers and students and the society as a whole, with special focus on NGOs.

At the University of Vaasa, many research projects focus on long-term impacts for sustainability in Europe (e.g. sustainable business, clean energy transition and society). However, in alignment with the university’s strategy for 2030 (UVA 2023), most projects have global implications and several involve partners or applications also in the Global South. The projects entail themes such as renewable energy, digital economy, and sustainable business development, all very relevant for the development of sustainability globally. For example, the Horizon Europe project LEAP-RE, Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy, aims to establish a long-term partnership between African and European stakeholders through a quadruple helix model, engaging government entities, including program owners and funding agencies, research and academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society. The objective is to generate meaningful impact through capacity-building activities by developing a comprehensive framework, methodology, and cooperation model. One of the key goals is to reduce fragmentation by aligning and integrating existing bilateral and multilateral initiatives.

Another example of a project with a North-South capacity building approach is the Erasmus+-funded Strategic Leadership in Green Business, with stakeholders in Latin America and Europe. The collaborative project supports the transition to sustainable production models, aligning with the European Green Deal. The development project Education for Sustainable Internationalization of a Firm, ESGinMNC, is a bilateral collaboration of courses between the University of Vaasa and the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). It focuses on sustainable internationalisation strategies for multinational companies and is supported by the Team Finland Knowledge program.

Recognising multiple realities in RDI activities in the Global South

Pluralism, in this context, refers to recognition and respectful engagement of diverse worldviews, knowledge, and cultural practices. For RDI professionals – researchers, lecturers, educators, as well as RMAs – this means moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach that is oftentimes dominant in epistemologies in the Global North. Rather, pluralism involves co-creation and mutual learning in the inter- and transcultural setting. This follows a decolonial perspective (Ndlovu-Gatsheni 2015), which provides an opportunity to develop education while recognizing cultural differences. According to the decolonial approach the focal question is what is perceived as justified knowledge, what methods are used or can be used to collect information, and whose perspective is imposed when developing and planning educational programs and individual courses. To fully enable the potential of pluralism, it is crucial to include ethical reflexivity in all RDI activities (Corlett & Mavin 2018).

While ethical standards, such as the Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2023) and the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2023) provide important frameworks for the Finnish HEIs, they are not universally applicable without adaptation. The realities in many parts of the Global South may challenge these norms set by the Global North, rather requiring context-sensitive approaches that prioritize, local agency, equity, and justice. To navigate the challenges, RDI actors should, for example, engage in continuous dialogue with local partners, invest in long-term relationships, and remain open to alternative definitions of knowledge and success. This includes recognizing indigenous knowledge systems, supporting local research leadership, and ensuring that benefits are equitably shared. (Brito Salas & Avento 2023.)

As we could essentially argue that human rights are in the center to ensure a sustainable future for all (Sen 2005), recognising diversity in ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies as well as pedagogy cannot be superseded. This is challenging for us working in the Western HEIs, as even according to the European Commission (2020), the goal is to spread the Western knowledge and practices to the Global South – aim that is fundamentally against the pluralistic world view.

Things to consider when initiating, planning, and executing RDI projects in the Global South

Taking the decolonial perspective with a pluralistic world view, RDI actors need to consider the following when initiating, planning and executing RDI projects to develop, for example, education in the Global South.

First, it is important to recognise and consider different focal concepts, such as sustainability and twin transition, and how they are defined in different contexts (Krieg & Toivanen 2021). This is perhaps especially crucial for concepts related to the RDI content, but we suggest that it is a matter of discussion also from the project management practice perspective. Recognising different concepts and differences in concepts allows us to better understand the different realities and ontologies in order to initiate and plan RDI projects rather than impose on one-size-fits all, universalistic approaches.

There is a high level of disagreement of concepts as such, and, for example, sustainability is defined in different ways in different contexts (Veintie & Hohenthal 2021). While we might be able to see a shift in perception of sustainability from an environmental view towards a human-centric view in general, but overall sustainability is still very much associated with economic growth and Western philosophy. For example, is environmental sustainability about saving the environment for its own sake or rather reflecting the desire of humans to save themselves as we will disappear if we are not able to save the planet around us (Veintie & Hohenthal 2021). Hence, from a decolonial perspective, we suggest that when initiating and planning RDI projects it is important to pay attention to the underlying assumptions regarding sustainability as they can be fundamentally heterogeneous. Moreover, if we are conscious of the differing histories, sustainable development can provide new opportunities for countries in the Global South to challenge the future of neoliberal globalization led by the Global North (Krieg & Toivanen 2021).

In addition to the diverse ontologies as discussed above, it is also important to recognize diverse epistemologies (Veintie & Hohenthal 2021). For example, in research and research-informed teaching this means the language used. Using local languages allows us to recognise diverse ontologies: too often we end up using English, which then forces us to approach matters using the Western concepts and from the Western perspective (Veintie & Hohenthal 2021). In practice, from the perspective of methodologies especially ethnography and other methods based on observations of human behavior are in line with the decolonialistic perspective. The underlying reason is that such methodologies give more opportunities for pluralism as compared to structured interviews and surveys. At the same time, methodological approaches giving opportunities for pluralism tend to be more time consuming and challenging, and their value not necessarily understood.

Case example: UN’s SDGs and education

In accordance with the United Nations’ shared Sustainable Development Goals, everyone should have access to high-quality education and lifelong learning by the year 2030 (UN 2015). Regarding Goal 4, which focuses on education, one of the objectives is to ensure that everyone has the necessary knowledge and skills to support sustainable development. This includes, among other things, sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity. In practice, this means that education for sustainable development should be integrated into national education policies, curricula, teacher training, and student assessment everywhere (UN 2015). It is important to note that the emphasis here is particularly on the quality of education, with the goal being to enhance educational quality – not merely to increase access to education.

Although the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight the importance of education, the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the SDGs have also faced considerable criticism. One main aspect of the criticism is that they do not consider culture as a component of development (Krieg & Toivanen 2021). Furthermore, we can also argue that these goals were not developed recognizing pluralistic perspectives but rather follow the Western world view. The SDGs have also been criticized for failing to challenge powerful nation states, major financial institutions, or global corporations that have had significant influence. This has raised concerns that actions consider as sustainable development may, in fact, facilitate sustaining existing global power structures rather than a truly sustainable future for all (Krieg & Toivanen 2021).

In addition to the general criticism towards SDGs, it is crucial to assess education from the perspective of the pedagogical methods we use. According to the decolonialistic view, we cannot assume that our Western approach to learning is similar to learning in other contexts or that teaching and learning methods are appropriate in Global South. It would also be important to assess the plurality of the goals of education. For example, climate change has a negative impact and increases challenges especially in the Global South but at the same time, it also creates opportunities (Okereke 2014). When planning RDI projects with the focus on education, it is essential to understand how education supports locals in developing environmentally friendly solutions. Hence, the goal of education should perhaps be to facilitate the development of a solution mindset, creativity, as well as analytical and critical thinking, in addition to sharing information and knowledge.

Summary and discussion

The decolonial approach provides possibilities to critically observe our RDI projects from a multicultural perspective. According to the decolonial approach the focal questions are what is considered as appropriate and justified knowledge, what methods are used and from which perspective we plan for example education (Ndlovu-Gatsheni 2015). Hence, RDI projects need to take a pluralistic view rather than universalising knowledge and educational environments.

In the RDI and education context, it is important to understand that a decolonialistic perspective is not a matter of different research topics, courses and contents only, but to recognise that HEIs as such have a role in keeping up the colonialistic perspective (Ndlovu-Gatsheni 2015). What this means in practice is a change in RDI practices and principles or study plans and content that has traditionally been built according to the Western principles without necessarily questioning their applicability or given the opportunity to allow emergence of new principles in a different context. By embracing diversity in thought, practice, and partnership, we can unlock new pathways for innovation and resilience. The Global South is not only a geographical location and people with needs, but also a source of rich knowledge, creativity, and leadership. Recognising and supporting this potential is essential for sustainable development.

With international RDI projects as a strategic focus, many Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences, including Haaga-Helia and University of Vaasa, are in the prime spot to impact the development a sustainable future for all. While decolonialistic approaches are important for various aspects of RDI in general, they are especially crucial for developing education: teachers are at the forefront of developing and implementing new educational contents and practices.

The key lies in collaboration that recognises a pluralistic view so that everyone’s knowledge, expertise, and worldviews are valued equally. This is the only way we can create a sustainable future for all.

References

Brito Salas, K. & Avento, R. 2023. Ethical guidelines for responsible academic partnerships with the Global South. UniPID. Accessed 12.8.2025.

Corlett, S., & Mavin, S. 2018. Reflexivity and researcher positionality. In: Cassell, C., A. Cunliffe, G. Grandy (eds.): The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Business and Management Research Methods. London, UK: Sage, 377–389.

European Commission. 2025. Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education program guide. Accessed 12.8.2025.

Koivisto, S. & Huttunen, S. 2024. Haaga-Helia’s RDI impact vision charts the future. eSignalsPro, Haaga-Helia. Accessed 12.8.2025.

Krieg, C. P. & Toivanen, R. 2021. Introduction. In Krieg, C. P. & Toivanen, R. (eds.): Situating Sustainability – A Handbook of Contexts and Concepts (pp. 1-17). Helsinki: Helsinki University Press.

Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S. J. 2015. Decoloniality as the Future of Africa. History Compass, 13(10), 485-496.

Okereke, C. 2014. A changing climate and African development. In Desai, V. & Potter, R. B. (eds.): The Companion to Development Studies (pp. 346-350). Lontoo: Taylor & Francis.

Sen, A. 2005. Human Rights and Capabilities. Journal of Human Development, 6(2), 151-166.

UN. 2015. United Nation’s SDG 4 Quality of education. Accessed 12.8.2025.

UVA. 2023. University of Vaasa Strategy 2030. Accessed 12.8.2025.

Veintie, T. & Hohenthal, J. 2021. Education. In Krieg, C. P. & Toivanen, R. (eds.): Situating Sustainability – A Handbook of Contexts and Concepts (pp. 63-77). Helsinki: Helsinki University Press.

Vipunen.fi – Opetushallinnon tilastopalvelu. 2025. Ammattikorkeakoulujen ulkomainen tutkimusrahoitus. Tietolähde: OKM:n vuosittainen tiedonkeruu. Accessed 4.8.2025. 

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