JYU Coalition of Africa Networks (JYU-CAN)

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences participates in three networks related to Africa, which are DESCRIBED below. Each network is coordinated nationally by different Finnish Universities. Our faculty coordinates the participation of JYU In these networks; all the activities are Conducted together with other Finnish universities and partner universities in Africa.

Joint University of Helsinki and Ģ��ֱ�� Africa Day celebration 2024: highlights and reflections

The Ģ��ֱ�� – Coalition of African Networks and GINTL Africa, University of Helsinki, once again teamed up to co-organise Africa day event in Jyväskylä’s Main Library - Lähde (Finlandia Prize for Architecture 2022 winner) on Friday, May 24th, 2024. The theme of the Africa day event organized in Jyväskylä was Re-thinking African Education systems for the 21st Century. In this blogpost, we present highlights and reflections from the event, with a focus on the keynote speeches and panel discussions as well as on the controversial debate surrounding this year’s Africa Day theme and who the Africa Day is for.

1) Finland-Africa Platform for Innovation (FAPI) (coordinator University of Turku)

Academic Leader: Tiina Kontinen/ Laura Stark

The network promotes the United Nations to achieving the objectives of sustainable development, focusing on the promotion of new perspectives in innovation, together with our African partners. universities participating in the network strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and enabling technological, social and other innovations. The Network works in close cooperation with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) with. Networked cooperation to generate new multidisciplinary expertise related to African innovation development, high-quality joint publications, teaching performances, innovation, and strengthen cooperation in new and diverse approaches.

In accordance with sustainable development, innovation the objective to strengthen the network of university-enterprise cooperation and the entrepreneurial school. The network promotes the identification of local communities and organizations' needs and supports their participation in innovation processes. The network implements its part of the EU Strategy for Africa. The network is involved in the practical Finnish strategy for Africa in the implementation.

2) EDUCASE / Case Platform for Sustainable Development (coordinator Aalto)

Academic Leader: Tiina Kontinen/ Laura Stark

The pilot is produced by means of sustainable development of regional (eg. Eastern Africa and South Asia) challenges in terms of professional education. the beginning of sustainable development and to strengthen the accountability of universities in the partner countries and local networks of innovation actors, practical cooperation and global expertise Finnish higher education institutions and research networks. Platform serving the objectives of the work of local innovation and higher education teaching development. Action and its objectives are linked to national partners and the higher education section of the strategic objectives and based on the approved action programs in the partner countries and strong local ownership. Problem-Based Learning educational projects implemented method, done in collaboration with the partner country and / or Finnish companies, associations and organizations in which they are anchored in the innovation ecosystem Finland and partner development.

The operating model to be used is based on cooperation and its façade. Aalto University is responsible for coordinating operations and designing the cooperation structure. All participating universities are involved in the development of operations and its content. The colleges involved in the pilot will participate in multilateral peer work, which collects similar types of projects from different colleges, seeking and utilizing the best operating models in the development of platform. Activities may include student projects between two or more universities, common field work, intensive courses, jointization, research projects, or student and teacher exchange. The operating model will develop students' working life and entrepreneurship skills and methods of student-based teaching and pedagogical expertise of university teachers (eg problem-based teaching, entrepreneurship training, innovation promotion) in Finland and partner countries. At the same time, the expertise of teaching staff will be strengthened on cross-cutting innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development. Research projects contribute to solving local sustainable development challenges and the development of innovation, entrepreneurship and pedagogy.

3) Finnish and Southern African Higher Education Institutions Network for Health and Well-Being -Network (SAFINET)

Academic Leader: TBD, Safinet is coordinated jointly between the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences.

The network combines universities in health and well-being in the fields of health and well-being to make goal-oriented and effective cooperation with Southern African universities, science institutions and other stakeholders. In well-selected cooperation sites and good organization, the performance, quality and effectiveness of Finnish higher education institutions and local actors will increase.

JYU also participates in the Global Innovation Network for Teaching and Learning (GINTL) India network. Kindly notify us of your interest by contacting Tea Kangasvieri (tea.s.m.kangasvieri@jyu.fi).

Get to know GINTL

JYU-CAN Joint Programs

Achieving social justice through social innovation and entrepreneurship

JY: Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy and Department of Ethnology and History
Åbo Akademi: Institute for Human Rights & Department of Business
Goal: To produce multidisciplinary understanding on the ways in which social and institutional innovations can foster social justice and human rights

Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (ECCR)

JY: Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, CitDe research group, potential collaboration with Wisdom*
UEF: Responsive Natural Resources Governance Research Group
African partners: Makerere University, Uganda & College of Business Studies, Tanzania

Enhancing Belonging through Arts

Ģ��ֱ�� / Department of Music, Art and Culture research
University of Oulu / Music Education Programme and Oulu School of Architecture; University of Zululand / Department of Creative Arts
University of Pretoria / School of Arts
This collaboration has its roots in previous Finland-Southern Africa network, coordinated by the Department of Music at the Ģ��ֱ��.
Goal: to explore the possibilities of music and other performing arts, visual arts and architecture to enhance belonging.

Achievements

Read more about the publications the JYU Coalition of Africa Networks has contributed to.

Achievements

Webinar recordings

For more information about JYU Africa Networks: Watch these recorded webinars about the Africa Networks to learn more about the network and understand how you can get involved in the networks.

JYU Africa Networks webinar recordings