Partnership for Poverty and Sustainable Development Studies

PROJECT: Four-year project financed by a grant of NOK 2 million from the UTFORSK programme of The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (SIU).

Link to PROJECT WEBSITE

Project summary

This project aims to revitalise educational co-operation between the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the University of Bergen (UiB) through the establishment of a series of joint activities to consolidate an international epistemic community in the field of sustainable development and poverty reduction. The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) is a network partner for the project and will provide the opportunity for wider regional impact.

Outputs will include:

1. A joint course on “poverty and sustainable development" that will provide a state-of-the-art, research-led curriculum in these subjects. This course will be offered both online and on-site as an intensive/summer course.
2. A virtual library/reading room, with free and open access that will provide the necessary syllabus for the students, as well as secure the legacy of the project.
3. International workshops

Outcome indicators will include:

1. Increased mobility of graduate students, academic and administrative staff between South Africa and Norway.
2. The inclusion of students in research activities through the use of graduate students in fieldwork, data analysis and workshops (with a particular focus on female participation).

These results will be obtained through four work packages; 1) Organisation and Course Development; 2) Education and Research; 3) Publication and Dissemination; 4) Mobility and Training.

The project is based on mutual and synergistic academic interests in accordance with the participating institutions' long-term strategic priorities. Over the last year, UKZN, CROP/UiB-ISSC and CODESRIA have drafted a model of international and multidisciplinary cooperation that will be operationalised through successful funding.

In sum, the proposal intends to consolidate a vibrant scientific network to further influence poverty eradication and sustainable development, while educating a new generation of researchers with a high participation of female scholars.