UniPID receives funding through the Team Finland Knowledge Programme 2025

With this funding, UniPID will coordinate the project “Virtual Studies for Global Sustainable Development in Southern African Collaboration” (GLOBUS), developed together with Finnish and African universities to strengthen partnerships in the field of global development studies.

“Virtual Studies for Global Sustainable Development in Southern African Collaboration” (GLOBUS) is a project co-designed with higher education institutions in Finland (University of Eastern Finland, Tampere University, University of Oulu, and University of Turku), South Africa (University of the Western Cape, Durban University of Technology, and Stellenbosch University), and the University of Namibia.

Aiming to deepen collaboration and develop joint virtual courses based on the Collaborative International Online Learning (COIL) methodology in the multidisciplinary field of global sustainable development, this project promises significant impact for institutions affiliated with UniPID and the Southern African–Nordic Centre (SANORD).

While UniPID’s main objective is to support its member universities in advancing global responsibility and integrating Global South perspectives into research, education, and societal impact, SANORD seeks to foster academic cooperation and strengthen all member institutions’ capacity to address local and global challenges of innovation and development.

Coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland - the upcoming host of the UniPID Coordination Unit - this project will enable partnering institutions to co-create and co-implement course modules in the multidisciplinary field of global sustainable development. The course topics are aligned with both networks’ goals of addressing local and global development challenges.

What does this mean for the UniPID network?

Altogether, eight virtual courses will be developed and offered during the project period, meaning that new courses will soon be joining the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme. Our community members are warmly welcome to enroll and participate in timely and engaging discussions with partners across Finland and Africa. Stay tuned!

We at UniPID are thrilled to be able to deepen our collaboration with our sister network SANORD through this joint initiative and provide increased opportunities for our respective member institutions for shared learning and knowledge creation. Kaisa Kurki, UniPID's director and Project's coordinator.

To support the collaborative teaching development, the project also includes staff mobility opportunities, where Southern African partners will be hosted by Finnish universities to co-create teaching and learning materials.

UniPID warmly thanks all project partners for their great efforts and dedication in the design phase. Special thanks to our future coordinating university, the University of Eastern Finland, for its guidance and already warm hospitality.

We already look forward to connecting with you all!

What’s next? Subscribe to our newsletter and mailing list to be among the first to hear about the new courses joining the UniPID Virtual Studies Programme here. In the meantime, take a look at our 2025–2026 Virtual Studies Catalogue and enroll here.