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Lund University has been collaborating with African partners for a long time. We conduct research of relevance for Africa and send as well as welcome both staff and students. We also conduct commissioned education with African participants.

Global Dynamic Engagement (GDE) is an approach on which Lund University bases its work to strengthen and further develop its international impact regarding research, education and innovation. Democracy, academic freedom and taking responsibility are the cornerstones of this work.

Lund University Africa Day 11 March 2024

On 11 March, the annual Africa Day is arranged. Professor Sten Hagberg, Uppsala University, will talk about "Democratic backlash? Militaries, Terrorists, and Decolonizers in the Sahel" and a panel will discuss "Effect of local and global political instability on academic collaboration". 

Staff and doctoral students are welcome to hold a speed-presentation (max. 2 min and 2 slides). 

Link to programme and registration 

The last day for registration is 27 February.

GDE for Africa

In the roadmap for Africa for 2024, prioritised activities are presented for the university-wide work during the year but does not exclude other issues that may become relevant for prioritisation. This is in accordance with the method used for the platform for strategic work, which Lund University is working to regarding 2023–2024.

  • Promoting cooperation within research, education, innovation and external engagement with Southern Africa through the SANORD network (Southern African – Nordic Centre) and the SASUF project (South Africa Sweden University Forum)
  • Promoting cooperation with the ARUA network (African Research Universities Alliance)
  • Establishing student exchange agreements with universities in Botswana, Namibia and Ghana
  • Investigating the opportunities for developing educational cooperation with North Africa
  • Delivering Lund University’s Africa Day in March 2024
  • Developing cooperation with scholarship organisations in Africa to finance inbound degree-seeking students

Read more about support and tools for responsible engagement

Read more about support and tools for sustainable engagement

SASUF – South Africa Sweden University Forum

Lund University is a member of the SASUF project (South Africa Sweden University Forum), together with 14 other Swedish and 26 South African universities. SASUF is coordinated by Uppsala University and is a cooperation project between universities, organisations and authorities in Sweden and South Africa. Funding comes from STINT, South African National Research Foundation (NRF) and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Swedish universities co-finance the project.

SASUF (South Africa Sweden University Forum) has been granted funding from STINT for three years from 2022 to 2024. The annual "SASUF Sustainability Forum" is organised for researchers, teachers, students, university management, funding agencies and ministries. The SASUF Sustainability Forum consists of a conference and many satellite activities. The 2024 conference will be organised by Lund University, SLU-Alnarp and Malmö University 15-17 May.

Link to the SASUF website

Southern African–Nordic Centre – SANORD

SANORD is a membership organisation consisting of universities in the Nordic region and southern Africa. The aim of the network is to strengthen academic collaborations and contacts between higher education institutions in southern Africa and the Nordic region. The network was formed in 2007 and consists of partner universities in Botswana, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

SANORD has nine Swedish member universities: Uppsala University, Lund University, Malmö University, University of Gothenburg, Karlstad University, Högskolan Väst, Linköping University, Linnaeus University and the Nordic Africa Institute.

Lund University is a member of the SANROD Board 2022-2023.

SANORD offers an annual conference, mobility funds for students from southern Africa, seed funding for collaborative projects, and a "three-minute-thesis competition".

The 2024 Annual Conference will be held 4-6 December at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Any travel grants will be announced in 2024.

More information about SANORD is available at the SANORD website

Student exchange agreements

University-wide bilateral student exchange agreements have been established with:

Develop cooperation with South Africa through SASUF's research and innovation week 13-17 May 2024

SASUF Research and Innovation Week in Sweden 13-17 May 2024 will attract over 400 researchers, students and university leaders from Sweden and South Africa. The week will consist of satellite activities at Swedish universities on 13 and 14 May , and a SASUF Sustainability Forum on 15-17 May with presentations, workshops and poster sessions at Lund University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Campus Alnarp, and Malmö University

Proposals for satellite activities, workshops and posters shall be submitted by latest 17 November.

More information on the SASUF project website

Participation in the SASUF Sustainability Forum 15-17 May is free of charge, but the number of participants is limited. Therefore, each partner university shall nominate participants.

Staff interested in participating on 15-17 May 2024 must register by latest 15 December

The result of the nomination will be shared well in advance before the Forum. For satellite activities 13-14 May, there is no similar limitation.

Overview programme for SASUF Research and Innovation Week

  • Monday – Tuesday 13-14 May: Satellite activities at Swedish universities.
  • Wednesday 15 May: 14:00 Inauguration and opening of SASUF's Sustainability Forum, Lund University Aula, at 18:00, with subsequent dinner in Stora Salen, Academic Association, Lund.
  • Thursday 16 May: Posters, workshops and parallel sessions at SLU Alnarp followed by a reception at Malmö Town Hall at 17:30.
  • Friday 17 May: Workshops and parallel sessions at Malmö University followed by a joint closing and lunch at Malmö University

African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA)

Lund University is exploring possibilities of collaboration with the ARUA network. If you are interested in collaborating with ARUA, please contact par [dot] svensson [at] er [dot] lu [dot] se (par[dot]svensson[at]er[dot]lu[dot]se).

Link to the ARUA network website

An external reference group has been formed to advice and make recommendations for implementing the LU's strategy for cooperation with Africa. The group meets about once per semester.

The group includes the following members:

  • Professor Ernest Aryeetey, Secretary-General of African Research Universities Alliance and previous Vice-Chancellor at the University of Ghana,
  • Ms Marika Griehsel, journalist with long-standing experience from Africa.
  • Professor Göran Hydén, University of Florida.

Read more about ARUA – African Research Universities Alliance

Lund University has an Africa Strategy Group with the task of promoting cooperation with Africa and supporting the implementation of the strategy. The group convenes approximately once a month.

The group has the following members:

  • Professor Ellen Hillbom (chair)
  • Professor Anette Agardh
  • Professor Björn Bergenståhl
  • Professor Petter Pilesjö
  • Associate lecturer Vasna Ramasar
  • Tori Heitmann Jørgensen, student representative
  • Pär Svensson, regional coordinator

Contact

Pär Svensson
International coordinator
+46 46 222 77 42
par [dot] svensson [at] er [dot] lu [dot] se

GDE Fact Sheet

The purpose, the process and the roadmap

PDF, 258 kB, new tab