DAAD-Kompetenzzentrum Internationale Wissenschaftskooperationen (KIWi)

DAAD Centre for International Academic Cooperation (KIWi)

KIWi Policy Talk in cooperation with the Berlin University Alliance (BUA):

(How) can African-European science diplomacy promote equitable partnerships?

Friday, October 17, 2025, 11 am–1 pm (UTC+2)
Festsaal Humboldt Innovation, Ziegelstraße 30, 10117 Berlin & livestreamed

The existing multilateral order is under increasing pressure amid shifting political, economic and military balances. These geopolitical changes also reverberate in African-European relations. Various African countries have criticised the current state of multilateralism for perpetuating global power imbalances. This criticism is also echoed in the higher education sector, with active discussions and concrete, actionable measures aimed at fostering equitable partnerships.

At the same time, the demand for African-European scientific cooperation continues to rise. Thus, rather than signalling disengagement or a simple reorientation towards China and Russia, the voiced criticism opens pathways for reimagining equitable, resilient partnerships. This presents valuable opportunities to enhance partnerships and revitalise new cornerstones of a rules-based multilateralism that can position Europe not only as a reliable but also as a strategic partner for African states in a complex geopolitical environment.

Given shared challenges such as climate change, migration and pandemic prevention, it is in both continents‘ interests to maintain, strengthen and diversify scientific relations. In this context, emerging strategies and practical approaches emphasise new cooperation models between the African and European higher education sectors. Examples include the “AU-EU Innovation Agenda”, the “Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations” and the German Commission for UNESCO’s position paper “Equitable Scientific Cooperation Worldwide”. These embrace recommendations such as the co-creation of inclusive programmes in science, innovation, education and training that mutually benefit partners from the African Union as well as those from the European Union.

The opportunities of equitable African-European partnerships in research and higher education, as well as the role of science diplomacy as a facilitator, will be explored at the KIWi Policy Talk titled:

“(How) can African-European science diplomacy promote equitable partnerships?”, organised in collaboration with the Berlin University Alliance.

The Policy Talk will bring together experts from Africa and Europe to address the following questions:

  • How can European science diplomacy evolve to address criticisms concerning global power imbalances and foster equitable partnerships?
  • What practical approaches and strategies can be implemented to enhance African-European academic collaboration?
  • What opportunities could emerge for African-European academic collaboration as the USA continue to scale back their science diplomacy efforts while China and Russia’s initiatives increase and what could be a promising joint approach?
  • Which areas of higher education, capacity building, mobility and research are likely to foster fruitful and mutually beneficial partnerships? How can such partnerships be cultivated effectively at different institutional levels?
  • What institutional practices can help European and African higher education institutions operationalise equitable partnerships?
Moderation & Panelists

Opening

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Dr. Michael Harms

Deputy Secretary General – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Dr Michael Harms is Deputy Secretary General of the DAAD and oversees the DAAD’s Berlin Office.

Prior to assuming his current position in January 2022, Dr. Harms held various management roles within the DAAD, including Director of Communications (2015–2021), Director of the Program Department South (2014), and Director of the Regional Office Cairo (2010–2014).

From 2006 to 2008, he was Head of the Department for International Cooperation of the German Rectors‘ Conference. He also spent several years teaching at univer- sities in Germany (Ruhr University Bochum, 1997-1998) and the UK (University of East Anglia, Norwich, 1993-1997).

Dr Harms received his doctorate in Language Learning Research from the Ruhr University Bochum in 2003. He studied History, English Language and Literature, and German Linguistics at the CAU Kiel.

Host

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Yolanda Rother

Freelance –

Yolanda Rother (she/her) is co-founder of „The Impact Company“, a diversity, audience and culture consultancy. She moderates and speaks on topics related to digital society, politics and open government, diversity and sustainability. The Berlin native is a graduate (Master of Public Policy) of the Hertie School and has lived in Brazil, France and the United States.

Panel

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Prof. Dr. Isabella Aboderin

Director – Perivoli Africa Research Institute (PARC),
Professor – University of Bristol

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Prof. Dr. Muyiwa Falaiye

Director of and Professor – Institute for African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos

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Prof. Dr. Boris Heinz

Professor – Technische Universität Berlin

Boris Heinz is Professor of Community Energy and Adaptation to Climate Change at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. He also serves as Head of Programme at the NGO Hudara in Berlin. Boris Heinz combines his academic work with extensive practical experience, having previously worked for the United Nations in New York, first as an Associate Expert in Economic and Social Affairs and later as a Subject Matter Expert for Field Projects with various stays in countries of the Global South. He has also been a Lecturer at the El Gouna Graduate School in Egypt. He holds a PhD from the Technische Universität Berlin. His research areas include sustainable community energy, community-based adaptation to climate change in remote and displacement contexts, and bottom-up community approaches originating from local needs and requirements.

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Prof. Dr. Juliet Thondhlana

Professor and Coordinator – Association of African Universities (AAU) Europe Regional Office, University of Nottingham

Juliet Thondhlana is Professor and UNESCO Chairholder in International Education and Development as well as Coordinator of the Association of African Universities Europe Regional Office at the University of Nottingham. She has wide-ranging experience researching and publishing in the interlinked fields of the internationalization of higher education, curriculum, research, and doctoral training; global partnerships; policy development, implementation, and review; decolonisation; and skilled migration. Her publications include several journal articles in high-impact journals, refereed book chapters, refereed edited books, special issues, conference papers, and policy documents. She is the lead editor of the ground-breaking Bloomsbury Handbook of the Internationalisation of Higher Education in the Global South, as well as lead guest editor of the Journal of the British Academy Issue “Repositioning of Africa in knowledge production: shaking off historical stigmas.” She is co-Editor of the Journal of Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice and sits on editorial boards of high-impact journals.

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Prof. Dr. Peter Simatei

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Agenda
KIWi Connect II

KIWi Connect II

„Hochschulperspektiven aus den Nieder­landen, Österreich und der Schweiz“

Das zweite KIWi Connect richtete den Fokus auf Dual-Use in den europäischen Nachbarländern, da das Thema auch dort zunehmend an Relevanz gewinnt und europäische Hochschulen unterschiedliche Herangehensweisen an die Thematik haben.

Die aktuellen geopolitischen Spannungen und der steigende Bedarf an militärischen Technologien verdeutlichen, wie dringlich eine grenzüberschreitende Auseinandersetzung mit Dual-Use ist. Auch die EU-Kommission hat mit ihrem aktuellen Weißbuch die Debatte im Jahr 2024 neu angestoßen.

Im Mittelpunkt des KIWi Connect II standen die Niederlande, Österreich und die Schweiz. In diesen Ländern werden verschiedene Strategien zur Definition und Auslegung von Dual-Use in internationalen Forschungskooperationen angewandt. Sie gehören zu den wichtigsten Partnerländern Deutschlands bei akademischen Kooperationen und können wegweisende Konzepte zur Information, Beratung und Schulung von Hochschulmitgliedern vorweisen.

Zu Beginn begrüßten wir Professorin Veronika Wittmann von der Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, die uns mit einer übergeordneten europäischen Perspektive auf Science Diplomacy und Dual-Use-Verantwortung einen inspirierenden Einstieg bot.

Anschließend präsentierte der National Contact Point for Knowledge Security (Loket Kennisveiligheid) den niederländischen Ansatz zur Wissenssicherheit, der vom Prinzip „As open as possible, as closed as necessary“ geleitet wird.

Die anschließenden Vorträge richteten den Fokus auf die praktische Umsetzung und die spezifischen Herausforderungen im Umgang mit Dual-Use in der Schweiz und in Österreich:

Silvia Nast gab Einblicke in die Exportkontrollverfahren der ETH Zürich und arbeitete dabei die Unterschiede zu Deutschland heraus. Zum Abschluss beleuchtete Professor Matthias C. Kettemann von der Universität Innsbruck die rechtsphilosophische Dimension des Umgangs österreichischer Hochschulen mit Dual-Use, insbesondere im Kontext der Quantenforschung.

Unter anderem wurden folgende Fragestellungen erörtert:

  • Welche Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten im Verständnis und der Auslegung zum Thema Dual-Use sind in den europäischen Nachbarländern zu finden.

  • Welche Relevanz haben nationale Strategien gegenüber z. B. EU-Regelungen?

  • Welche Ansätze verfolgen Hochschulen in den europäischen Nachbarländern im Bereich der Compliance?

  • Inwiefern sind diese Ansätze von Relevanz für die Ausgestaltung von internationalen Kooperationen deutscher Hochschulen und wie unterscheiden sie sich von der deutschen Diskussion zum Umgang mit Dual-Use?

Unterlagen zum KIWi Connect II​

KIWi Connect II

Additional Information

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Der KIWi Policy Talk bietet ein sichtbares Forum für den Dialog, um Vertreterinnen und Vertreter aus Hochschule und Politik in den Austausch zu bringen und aktuelle Fragen der internationalen Wissenschaftskooperation kritisch zu diskutieren.

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