UniPID annual seminar 2024: Strengthening Agency in the Pluriverse of the Academic Worlds

Strengthening Agency in the Pluriverse of the Academic Worlds.

Date: 5 November 2024
Time: 15:30 – 17:30 (EET, Helsinki time).
Location: University of Oulu, Finland (and online).
Registration: Please register by 29 October here. Note that participation is free of charge but prior registration is required.

This seminar explores the relationships between plurality, agency, and diverse world views in the Finnish academia, and the research cultures beyond it. The discourse on equity in global academic collaborations has been dominated by perspectives and paradigms from the Global North, with a tendency to marginalise alternative worldviews. The concept of plurality challenges this by advocating for a multiplicity of experiential knowledge and worldviews, each with its own epistemologies, ontologies, and values. This event aims to move beyond theoretical discussions of equity and pluralism in academia, focusing on narratives that demonstrate how these concepts can be operationalized.

By sharing experiences, challenges, and successes, the seminar seeks to provide insights and inspiration for strengthening agency of diverse actors in global collaborations. These narratives will highlight intentions, strategies, and tools used to foster agency in partnerships, overcome power imbalances, and integrate diverse worldviews in research and academic work. The focus on narratives allows for a more personal and relatable exploration, making the abstract concepts of agency and pluralism tangible and actionable. Hopefully, the participants will leave with not just ideas, but concrete examples and tools that they can apply in their own academic work and collaborations.

Tentative programme

Time

Item
15:30-15:35 Welcoming words & opening words
15:35-16:45

Panel discussion: "From globally relevant research to science diplomacy – In search of a Finnish approach to strengthening global academic partnership for a sustainable future".

Panelists:

- Tuija Veintie, university researcher, leading the Strengthening Sustainability Expertise project at the University of Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Forestry Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki.

- Samuli Reijula, university lecturer and academy research fellow, Department of Philosophy, History and Art Studies, University of Helsinki.

Chair:
Tiina Seppälä, university lecturer in Global Development Studies at the University of Helsinki.
16:45-17:05 Reflection and small group discussions
17:05-17:10 Closing words
17.10-17:30 Refreshments and informal networking

Have a story to share? We invite you to contribute your experiences, challenges, and successes in strengthening agency in the pluriverse of the academic worlds. Whether it’s about embracing diversity or navigating obstacles in global academic collaborations, your voice matters. Share your narrative here and help guide the discussion on creating a more inclusive academic environment!

For further information, please contact Kaisa Kurki ().

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Photo credits: Alexander Grey, 2018 on Unsplash