The purpose of this Project was to strengthen HEIs in East-Africa as developmentally responsive institutions by enhancing curriculum development, pedagogical approach and capacity of staff in the area of mathematics education and teacher preparation. The invigoration and modernisation of teacher training and the upgrading of curricula was meant to increase the level and enrollment of mathematics education, give a push forward to the education of mathematics teachers and support the universities' ability to embark on development projects with the surrounding society, industry and public governance.

Team

Matti Heiliö, Matylda Jablonska-Sabuka, Tuomo Kauranne, Heikki Haario, Miika Tolonen

The two-year FinCEAL pilot project aimed to enhance cooperation between research and science policy communities in Finland, Europe, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean by networking the Finnish research community and by supporting their participation in bi-regional research projects and science policy processes. FinCEAL was an initiative funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and implemented by UniPID, the Finnish University Partnership for International Development. FinCEAL activities were focused on the following thematic areas, derived from the European Union's bi-regional science, technology and innovation policy processes: Africa – Food Security, Information Society, Health, Climate Change and Renewable Energy; LAC – ICT for Societal Challenges, Bioeconomy, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Health.

Team

Eva Kagiri, Kajsa Ekroos, Melissa Plath

NANOSOLUTIONS seeks to identify and elaborate the characteristics of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) that determine their biological hazard potential. It will help develop a safety classification model for ENM based on an understanding of their interactions with living organisms, benefiting industry and enabling innovation.The NANOSOLUTIONS project was created to develop a safety classification for engineered nanomaterials (ENM) based on an understanding of their interactions with living organisms at molecular, cellular and organism levels. The human body uses natural nanomaterials, such as proteins and other molecules, to control the body�s many systems and processes.

Team

Dario Greco, Harri Alenius, Riitta Lahesmaa, Roland Grafström, Kai Savolainen

The ENhHANCE project proposes enhancements for SECE-AAiT and CoICT-UDSM in engineering education, research capacity and industry outreach through collaborative activities with COMNET-Aalto. The COMNET-Aalto department is a long-established and leading unit for research and education in Finland in the area of networking and communications engineering, and plans to leverage that extensive knowledge and experience for the benefit of the partner HEIs (SECE-AAiT and CoICT-UDSM).

Team

Prof. Riku Jäntti (Aalto), Prof. Jyri Hämäläinen (Aalto), Dr. Edward Mutafungwa (Aalto), Beneyam Haile (Aalto), Dr. Dereje Hailemariam (AAiT), Dr. Eneyew Adugna (AAiT), Prof. Henry Kundaeli (CoICT-UDSM), Dr. Honest C. Kimaro (CoICT-UDSM)

This is a joint research of the University of Helsinki’s discipline of Social and Cultural Anthropology and South Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council, with funding from the Academy of Finland and the National Research Foundation of South Africa for the period 2013-2016. The project investigates the kinds of social subjectivities and forms of socio-political and economic empowerment that current youth music styles enhance among South African youth. The key questions are what kinds of social, racial, gender, class, religious and citizenship identities and communities are being imagined and created through music-related practices, and what kinds of empowerment strategies and realities they entail.

Team

Ibrahim Abraham, Tuomas Järvenpää, Benita Moolman, Tuulikki Pietilä

The purpose of this research is to study the Rhodesian discourse in the autobiographical writing of Peter Godwin, a Rhodesian-born writer living in New York today. A great number of memoirs and autobiographical texts by white Rhodesian/Zimbabwean writers have emerged during the last fifteen years, and several of these writers, including Godwin, have been criticized for reviving a Rhodesian discourse which means holding on to colonial attitudes and ideals. My aim is to determine to what extent this is really the case in Peter Godwin's writing. I also examine what parallels can be drawn and conclusions made in relation to other white Zimbabwean autobiography.

Team

This project will identify the properties of soil, symbiotic microorganisms and agroforestry practices which improve the production of ecosystem services (BNF, AM, C sequestration) for food security in a changing climate. It will also identify the socio-economic feasibility of the management practices, including inoculation of legumes, and the knowledge networks required for their implementation.

Team

Kristina Lindström, Aregu Amsalu Aserse , Mila Sell, MarkkuYli-Halla, Helena Kahiluoto, Asefa Fassil, MauritzVestberg, Zebene Asfaw, Mesel Negash

Marketing channels of agricultural surplus is important for improving food security in most African countries. The cooperative business form offers one way for smallholder and intermediate size farmers to sell their surplus. Twelve Tanzanian cooperatives were studied by semi-structured interviews to find out if the cooperative business model can reduce poverty and address food security. Four types of cooperatives were identified: traditional cooperatives, reforming cooperatives, new cooperatives and co-operatives with some innovations. Both cases of poorly working unions and more recent success stories were found. Features characterizing good cooperative work in Tanzania were identified. Recommendations on policy level how to support cooperative action is given.

Team

John Sumelius; Faustine K. Bee; Suleman A. Chambo; Shimelles Tenaw; Stefan Bäckman,

With the proliferation of electronic devices and the perceived obsolesce culture of consuming electronics, it has become important to study not only the current practices involved in the management of the resultant electronic waste (e-waste), but also how e-waste is interacted with in different cultures. As such, this research aims to understand the different factors (cultural and economic)influencing of e-waste management in Nigeria and in Finland.

Team

Dr. Sakari Taipale

This study aims to investigate and analyze the current and future drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Cameroon and Republic of the Congo, and to discuss policy implications. The study also aims to analyze how drivers of deforestation and forest degradation have changed over the past 10 years; and investigate major challenges and barriers to address drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.

Team

Marcus Lindner