Die KFPE ist die Dialogplattform für globale Forschungspartnerschaften in der Schweiz. Sie engagiert sich für eine effiziente, wirksame und gleichberechtigte Forschungszusammenarbeit mit Ländern niedrigen und mittleren Einkommens. Sie leistet damit einen Beitrag zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung und zur Lösung globaler und lokaler Herausforderungen.mehr

Bild: NASAmehr

Self-awareness exercise

The self-awareness exercise for North-South research collaboration was developed in order to help northern and southern researchers to be aware of what they and their counterpart researchers from the north or from the south experience. To develop the exercise, the author collected (de)colonization related stories from southern and northern researchers involved in North-South research collaboration, and summarized their experiences into statements. Learn more about the Walking Brainstorming.

The exercise was developed to be used individually or in a group. You might proceed to assess your self-awareness via the following steps:

1. Definition of position

  • Read each statement below: Each statement represents experience from (de)colonization related stories of southern and northern researchers involved in North-South research collaboration. They are presented in a way to present the experience and their “opposite”, to raise awareness of your situation and situations other researchers may experience.
  • Choose at least your five (5) most important statements, and close the others and underline the experience closest to yours from the five (5) chosen statements.
  • Take notes of your experience with as much details as possible. These details will also reflect the nuances of the statements and their “opposite”.

2. Reflection on the position

  • What is your position according to the self-awareness exercise?
  • What is the position of your colleague according to the self-awareness exercise?
  • What are your privileges in your research and research collaboration?
  • What are your disadvantages in your research and research collaboration?
  • What are your colleague’s privileges in your research and research collaboration?
  • What are your colleague’s disadvantages in your research and research collaboration?
  • What are your complementarity with your colleague?
  • How does your position influence your research and research collaboration?
  • How does knowing the position of your colleague influence your research and research collaboration?

Statements

I changed aspects of my research from my learning during the research collaboration project.


So far, I did not change aspects of my research from my learning during the research collaboration project.


Story

A critical skill I have developed centers around effective collaboration, both in general and particularly in North-South dynamics. I have been actively documenting lessons and experiences to inform my future endeavours. This skill encompasses various aspects, such as team leadership, management, and communication. I'm also making an effort to understand the North's viewpoint of the South by attempting to see through their perspectives. While I did not receive formal mentorship, I gained valuable insights by observing how my colleagues and seniors dealt with various topics and issues. It's worth noting that some of our initial collaborators chose to depart from the collaboration due to a lack of clarity regarding processes, misunderstandings, and communication challenges.

(Santy_South)

I easily make project related decisions as the rules are clear


I always doubt about decisions I have to make for the project.


Story

There seems to be a lack of consistency in established rules and practices. For instance, there have been cases where a sub-team was led to believe in a particular approach or guideline, only to encounter discrepancies later on.

(Santy_South)

I felt ready to engage in a North-South research collaboration when I started in the project.


I did not feel ready to engage in a North-South research collaboration when I started in the project.


Story

Northern counterparts should also be open and willing to share their challenges.

(Santy_South)

I feel safe when I share concerns and conflicts with the project and among project team members.


I do not feel safe when I share concerns and conflicts with the project and among project team members.


Story

Dissatisfaction regarding the scarce engagement of one of the south partners to the project. In every project meeting they only talk about their intention, but progress is very weak. Difficult to deal with that.

(X_North)

I have participated in inter-personal and informal meetings with southern / northern project members.


I have never participated in inter-personal and informal meetings with southern / northern project members.


Story

The collaboration in the project hinges of course a lot on interpersonal relationships and understanding of each other's position/life. There have been some excellent examples in our project where participants from the North and South really got to know each other and then the collaboration was (as far as I can judge) fairly balanced and pleasant - some friendships developed. In other cases there have been frustrations because of a failure to connect on a personal level, perceived or real difficulties due to institutional incompatibilities that were interpreted as personal failures or because of pre- or misconceptions about the other. This made collaboration increasingly tense and a bit dishonest.

(Anonymous_North)

I benefited from proper on-boarding when visiting southern / northern collaborators’ institution.


I did not benefit from proper on-boarding when visiting southern / northern collaborators’ institution.


Story

The project leader did not spend any time explaining the contents or procedures of the research project, preferring that I consult other people or solve it myself. Therefore, I did not feel any support and although the project leader offered me to participate in other research projects, I refused such proposals.

(X_X)

I am aware of and follow the project's process of acknowledgement of contribution.


I am not aware of the project's process of acknowledgement of contribution.


Story

In the paper projects I collaborated so far, all involved actors (North or South) were listed as co-authors. We did not have any specific guidelines. It seemed for me clear that if somebody contributes to a project, there is a right for co-authorship.

(Emi_C4SP)

I have identified how southern or northern researchers, who are our project partners, can support me in terms of research tasks.


I have not identified how southern or northern researchers, who are our project partners, can support me in terms of research tasks.


Story

Principles of true participation following the "ladder of participation" by Armstein. Giving the participants to the project as well as the project members (researchers) a certain degree of freedom of decision power in their respective tasks or sub-projects. In our case, participatory modelling meant to co-develop / co-design / co-test, etc. the models (games).

(pow_North)

I have the capacities _ got support _ am able to build my long-term career and expertise.


I am not able to build my long-term career and expertise.


Story

Networks are everything. Once you have built them, there is a strong incentive for North collaborators to further invest in that collaboration, i.e. to build new projects together etc., instead of going to a "new" country and starting from zero there.

(X_X)

I was aware with the agenda when I joined the project.


I was not aware with the agenda when I joined the project.


Story

Challenging dominant agendas was rarely considered an option; instead, we seemed to embrace them as the norm and best practice, assuming that the North always knew better. We held them in high regard, as their ways had been ingrained in us as the epitome of progress.

(Santy_South)

I acknowledge that the North is the epitome of progress.


I acknowledge there are different types of progress.


Story

Challenging dominant agendas was rarely considered an option; instead, we seemed to embrace them as the norm and best practice, assuming that the North always knew better. We held them in high regard, as their ways had been ingrained in us as the epitome of progress.

(Santy_South)

I manage to bring in my concerns during project meeting.


I do not manage to bring in my concerns during project meeting.


Story

Embracing discomfort - this has been evident in an ongoing collaboration where N-S collaborators have had to address potential conflicts as the project is being implemented. Some of the discussions to this end have been uncomfortable but eventually very useful in enabling successful implementation.

(X_X)

I know and consider what my northern or southern collaborators see or define as "of quality" for our research project.


I do not know what my northern or southern collaborators see or define as "of quality" for our research project, and therefore cannot consider.


Story

At times, there was a palpable sense of disillusionment among some Northern partners when they realized that the data wouldn't lead to publications of the required standard due to data unavailability. Unfortunately, this sentiment are sometimes not openly shared, and we were left to make the best of what we had, fearing failure if we fall short.

(Santy_South)

I had the opportunity and managed to share my expectations to my direct advisor(s) or the project members.


I did not had the opportunity and managed to share my expectations to my direct advisor(s) or the project members.


Story

Crucial discussions tended to occur primarily at higher levels, such as Principal Investigators (PIs), with the expectation that this information would filter down to those of us at lower levels. However, when a PI failed to do so, the consequences fell not only on them but on the entire team, often without regard for the inconvenience caused.

(Santy_South)

I feel respected and acknowledged regarding my skills, contributions, and achievements in the project.


I do not feel respected and acknowledged regarding my skills, contributions, and achievements in the project.


Story

I am part of a North-South research collaboration project. I was coordinating the data collection phase for the entire project and therefore was in charge of the recruitment of the enumerators. I worked with these enumerators closely and know the effort they put into the collecting reliable and of quality data. The times the achievements of the project is raised in a meeting or others events, the names of northern assistants were mentioned loud and first for gratitude and acknowledgements. The southern researchers then were acknowledged as the general "local team". However, the task of the northern assistants were to gather the results / outputs of the entire team and assist in writing / editing the final report. This task did not require a specific expertise, except the knowledge of English. These acknowledged northern assistants are the ones that are usually at the end of work chain. The others who gathered and understand the data, put themselves in danger in the field, negotiated with respondents, and cleaned the data, are left unknown and in a minor position as contributor to the project.

(Galax_South)

I know the tasks and responsabilities of each project member.


I do not know the tasks and responsabilities of each project member.


Story

The project leader in the north required me to work beyond the working hours and the contract schedules. I was permanently exposed to abrupt changes in the planning and implementation of project activities. Additionally, I was required to perform project management tasks activities that correspond to the project manager, such as reports to the entity that financed the research project.

(X_X)

I think my knowledge and skills are more important than of others.


I do not think my knowledge and skills are more important than of others.


Story

North-South collaboration has become a treasure of my life, but it has constantly required a greater input of work time, at every step of the project, than national or European projects. The reason is the difference in knowledge and experience in setting up a research program that we bring from the North, and which is needed for such projects. There is a disparity - at the same time I constantly learn from the Southern partners, in understanding the situation of the local population, their problems, their way to solve issues. The collaboration and exchange with people from other cultures also gives rise to many reflections on what "development" means, what is sustainable development. Northern societies have lost many values during development - values that are still better maintained in the South. At the same time, we all are aware that we have only one world, we are all in the same boat.

(Researcher_North)

I rely on my southern or northern partners to do my research tasks.


I do not rely my southern or northern partners to do my research tasks.


Story

Principles of true participation following the "ladder of participation" by Armstein. Giving the participants to the project as well as the project members (researchers) a certain degree of freedom of decision power in their respective tasks or sub-projects. in our case, participatory modelling meant to co-develop / co-design / co-test, etc. the models (games).

(pow_north)

I have an official mentor.


I do not have an official mentor.


Story

In the project I participated as a PhD student. The satisfaction was in the effort from my supervisors (including one from the North representing the project) to ensure that I completed my thesis satisfactorily and within the set time inspite of many challenges linked to the scholarship.

(Ari_South)

I know the working conditions of my southern or northern collaborators.


I do not know the working conditions of my southern or northern collaborators.


Stories

Working conditions have been a challenge though the project collaborators try to make things work. Often times in the South there are not adequate resources to successfully implement, like office space, computers, printing facilities, access to peer reviewed literature especially when in a project a researcher is an early career working without a full faculty position. In such a case the researcher has to make do with limited access to these necessary resources that would enable better working conditions to make the work more successful.
(Ari_South)

When it came to genuine participation, there was a desire in the South, but limited resources forced us to spread our services across various projects to gain some semblance of credibility within the field and among our local peers. We had to juggle numerous tasks to achieve less than what our Northern counterparts accomplished.
Traveling to partner countries for deliberations and gaining experience posed a significant challenge for Southern partners due to stringent travel requirements. Furthermore, Northern "macro" entities, such as governmental partners, still regarded Southern scholars with condescension, often equating us with job seekers trying to survive, despite our qualifications and job titles. This situation led to mounting frustrations in our efforts to foster meaningful partnerships.
A recent incident involving colleagues applying for visas for a workshop was not just demeaning but also displayed a lack of respect. This discourages us from traveling to the North to exchange experiences, compare situations, and take a stand. While online collaborations and discussions are valuable, there are times when the team needs to immerse themselves in each other's circumstances to truly grasp the context of what's happening and what's being communicated. (Santy_South)

In our project, all project members enrolled in a Swiss institution were able to take time off when they visited southern countries. They could enjoy the best of the countries they visited. But researchers from the South could not do that when they came to Switzerland because their income did not allow it. It is always a hurried business trip.
(Galax, South)

I have privileged working conditions compared to PhD colleagues from the South. Main factors are workload on top of the PhD project (I can choose to have almost none), stable internet connection/electricity, easy access to the office (e.g. no daily traffic jams), etc. Also, even with equal coverage of travel expenses, for me it is easy to move to "the South" for months/years, while for my colleagues it's very difficult to move to "the North", as life is much more expensive, and also due to Visa issues.
(Clara, North)

I worked on a grant-funded project with colleagues in the South and was shocked to learn how low some team members' salaries were, even after accounting for local standards. There was enough of a budget to pay staff higher salaries. Although I wasn't in charge of that part of the budget, in the future I will advocate that field staff get paid higher salaries for their contributions. It is unfair that researchers in the north ultimately benefit from the field staff's contributions, but these contributions are not remunerated accordingly.
(Anonymous_North)

As a researcher with early training from the South but working in the North for over a few years, I have become aware of how cultural differences also reflect on differences in work culture. For example, working hours are much longer but often include more breaks for coffee or non-work-related chats in the South. There are also many differences, such as in the quality of life outside work and the extent of administrative and other tasks besides research work that increase mental and physical workload in the South. These differences are often not apparent, and in collaborating, it would be valuable to facilitate exchange visits to enable a deeper understanding and appreciation of these differences and potential bilateral benefits from cultural exchange. This is not often explicitly budgeted for, especially considering that it is much harder for researchers in the South to make this trip. This is because the latter is often justified by sampling and because the funding body is more closely linked with the university in the North. It is also complicated by logistical issues such as visa processes and the higher cost of living in the North, making it sub-optimal to rely on reimbursements for the trip, which often takes time. (X_X)

Sometimes North collaborators don't understand all the challenges that we face everyday to keep working: insecurity, power cut, strikes that close our office. One time, strikers disturbed us while we were working. We have to adapt and work late or early in the morning to get things done on time.
- I was shocked to know the salary of PhD student of one swiss funded project knowing that in other project it is higher.
(Ntsiva_South)

Being a scholar in Switzerland, I am aware of the fortunate working conditions I have. My partners have less time for research and must invest a lot of time in teaching. Hence, I think it is important to be aware of such differences and be patient if processes take longer. (Emi_C4SP)

I am working on different collaboration projects and always encouraging involvelment of researchers from the countries we work not as data collectors but as PhD, Post Doc. My story is that this comes with many questions around skillsets and capacity of those from the South to deliver. My stories goes that the playing field is not leveled and educations systems do not make this better either, the challenges faced and opportunities to even access research equipment and even laptops. (Nya_South)

We designed a project and were not clear on the budgets and clarity on what items can be covered from the onset. i.e. how many PhDs and Masters or Post Docs the project can admit, are they to be admitted in local universities of travel to the countries of the Northern collaborators to manage expectations. This was not clearly discussed and most students expected to travel abroad.
(Nya_South)

The project I was involved in provided childcare support for me and this made my PhD life manageable as I had a baby as a student.
Sometimes I have had to engage in discussions where I feel that either the people are not able to put into context the reality that for researchers from the South the salaries from Government institutions are low and most researchers treat participation in a project as a way to make an extra income. In this discussion I always feel it is not looked fairly in that (1) researchers from the North do not consider the chunk of budget they spend on flight to the South countries and monies spent in high end hotels while those from the South have to commute from their homes to join in the activities and support with the planning on the ground, and (2) it is not about paying someone for the research contribution but for their time away from their work station. This discussion only comes in when it is about remunerating colleagues from the South but not those from the North.
(Nya_South)

I participated in writing and / or revising the project proposal.


I did not participate in writing and / or revising the project proposal.


Stories

In have experienced collaboration variously:
In the beginning as a PhD student in a North to South research project. The participation in the project was limited to the studentship. The university as a south collaborator was not involved in the original proposal writing. The role was mainly to supervise the students and it was at times challenging when there would be issues that affected students as there was another organization linking the university to the Northern collaborator. There was no budget for the department and at times supervision was a challenge as the faculty were limited in terms of agency and even accessing any facilitation.
(Ari_South)

I had an experience with negotiated research agendas, but the results were somewhat unsatisfactory. While I was guided to realign the problem and objectives of my sub-theme, it conflicted with another sub-theme. The other sub-theme had a better understanding because it fell more within their expertise. Both of our sub-themes later engaged the same stakeholders, and as the topic was well-aligned with their focus, they were able to publish their work faster with the support of their principal investigators. This made our work somewhat redundant and repetitive.
We had hoped to bring uniqueness to our research through the availability of specific data, but unfortunately, such data was not accessible. Although we mentioned and discussed this, it seemed that our explanations were not fully embraced. This experience was disheartening especially when one of the partner's pronouncements suggested that we were seeking their help to rewrite our manuscripts when, in reality, we had requested reviews to align our work with the changed objectives suggested from the North.
(Santy_South)

I participated in drafting and / or revising the budget of the project.


I did not participate in drafting and / or revising the budget of the project.


Story

Having budget available on both sides of the collaboration that are managed individually and are sufficient to implement the tasks planned in the project is a precondition for equitable collaboration. As are flows of information in both directions. In a past collaboration this did not work well and communication was very unidirectional from North to South with often delayed and minimal reactions. Hard to say what the reasons were though many can be imagined. Generally it's very difficult to start implementing a project jointly if only one party (in my experience Global North partners) developed the proposal plus if the project aims to operationalized an abstract concept.
Moreover, a huge problem is if funders dictated rules of employment and salary levels in Global South countries.
(X_X)

I know my responsibility regarding data collection.


I do not know if I should or should not participate in data collection.


Story

For projects with an empirical component in the Global South country it is almost required that the entire team spends time together in the country to develop a joint ownership of the project and process.
(X_X)

I contributed to deciding on the deliverables of the project.


I did not contribute to deciding on the deliverables of the project.


Stories

Working conditions have been a challenge. One of our projects was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the outset there were challenges in trying to get a new budget line approved for personal protective equipment (PPEs) for making the working conditions safe at that point in time. The delay in approval resulted to a delay in implementation of the project and eventually a challenge in meeting the deliverables. The team in the south was doing the fieldwork and have had to work under a lot of pressure to achieve set targets within a very limited timeline.
(Ari_South)

It's a shame that some view the "North" way of knowledge production as the only superior approach; and peer reviewed publication as the ultimate gain. Nevertheless, on many occasions, the individuals who require information for development are not particularly interested in peer-reviewed articles; instead, they prefer concise, policy-relevant summaries from the project.
Additionally, certain processes, challenges, and network compilations can serve as valuable educational resources for general teaching and learning purposes as well as further research.
(Santy_South)

I know the roles, responsibility, and achievements of my colleagues from the North / South.


I do not know the roles, responsibility, and achievements of my colleagues from the North / South.


Story

I am part of a North-South research collaboration project. I was coordinating the data collection phase for the entire project and therefore was in charge of the recruitment of the enumerators. I worked with these enumerators closely and know the effort they put into the collecting reliable and of quality data. The times the achievements of the project is raised in a meeting or others events, the names of northern assistants were mentioned loud and first for gratitude and acknowledgements. The southern researchers then were acknowledged as the general "local team". However, the task of the northern assistants were to gather the results / outputs of the entire team and assist in writing / editing the final report. This task did not require a specific expertise, except the knowledge of English. These acknowledged northern assistants are the ones that are usually at the end of work chain. The others who gathered and understand the data, put themselves in danger in the field, negotiated with respondents, and cleaned the data, are left unknown and in a minor position as contributor to the project.

(Galax, South)

I feel like the project activities support me to advance my career goal.


I do not feel like the project activities support me to advance my career goal.


Story

I try to find out what the career aspirations of my colleagues in the south are. Not everyone wants to be a researcher per se, so it's important to understand their personal goals are and how their work on the study can foster their professional development and set them up well for a subsequent job (which may be outside of research).

(Anonymous_North)

I had or will have a meeting to plan my career and skills development such as good publications, experience working North-South research collaboration, co-supervising students, etc.


I did not and will not have a meeting to plan my career and skills development such as good publications, experience working North-South research collaboration, co-supervising students, etc


Stories

I personally benefited a lot through good publications, experience working with our colleagues in the South, co-supervising students, etc. I also learned a lot about North-South collaborations (and what I liked and what I didn't like about them). It has certainly shaped me in how i co-develop new project proposals and how I lead projects myself. For our collaborators there have been benefits too. Many of the students got better jobs as a result of being involved in our project, a number clearly became much better at interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration (which I also experienced myself of course). (Anonymous_North)

Exchange and learn novel approaches and methods during my PhD thanks to the collaboration. I also acknowledge the skills in terms of organization, language, techniques I gained through the collaboration.
(Ntsiva_South)

I learnt a lot as a researcher from the south on research design, writing grant proposals and publications. Need for more skills on data and spatial analysis and skills to work in multicultural teams i.e. power dynamics and white supremacy and decolonizing ones mind, understanding how global research funding schemes work for transdisciplinary research.
(Nya_South)

I have developed many skills through north-south research collaboration, especially in terms of how to share knowledge, project management, and collaborative work. Most of this was really just through practice and being in the flow, some also through targeted trainings organised by the project.
(DO_North)

As a northern or southern researchers, I have been visiting or have plans to visit my colleagues in the South or North for stakeholder meetings, culture and expertise exchanges.


As a northern or southern researchers, I have not been visiting or have plans to visit my colleagues in the South or North for stakeholder meetings, culture and expertise exchanges.


Story

I also believe it would be beneficial for the South to have the opportunity to engage in stakeholder meetings in the North. This could greatly enhance mutual understanding and bridge the gap between our respective culture and fields of expertise.

(Santy_South)

I know my responsabilities toward the project activities.


I do not know my responsabilities toward the project activities.


Story

The project leader in the north required me to work beyond the working hours and the contract schedules. I was permanently exposed to abrupt changes in the planning and implementation of project activities. Additionally, I was required to perform project management tasks activities that correspond to the project manager, such as reports to the entity that financed the research project.

(X_X)

I had opportunities to networking thanks to the project.


I did not have opportunities to networking within to the project.


Stories

In the projects I have been involved networking (with the few colleagues who choose to follow up) has been a great opportunity for me to grow in my career and now I take it upon me to mentor young and upcoming researchers from the South to go out and meet and interact through different forums conferences, symposiums.
The one aspect of collaboration I did not like is when working in North South project where colleagues from the North and also from the South promised young researchers that they would support them in i.e. scholarship writing but then they never responded to the emails of the researchers when the programme ended.
(Nya_South)

From own experience and what I have seen in other projects is that on an early-career level collaborations are typically much more successful than on a mid- or especially late career level.
(DO_North)

I want and have opportunities to networking outside academia.


I want but do not have opportunities to networking outside academia.


Story

It's a shame that some view the "North" way of knowledge production as the only superior approach; and peer reviewed publication as the ultimate gain. Nevertheless, on many occasions, the individuals who require information for development are not particularly interested in peer-reviewed articles; instead, they prefer concise, policy-relevant summaries from the project.
Additionally, certain processes, challenges, and network compilations can serve as valuable educational resources for general teaching and learning purposes as well as further research.

(Santy_South)


If the self-awareness exercise is done in a group of northern and southern researchers, the following comments have to be taken into account:

  • The individual researchers do not have to position their colleagues.
  • The self-awareness exercise has to be sent to participants before the meeting.
  • The reflection part of the exercise has to be done first individually, and then in the group.
  • The moderator and note taker should be external to the research collaboration team.
  • The moderator of the group and the researchers participating in the exercise have to establish a safe space for each individual researchers, considering at least the following points:
  • Preparing the self-awareness exercise taking into account hierarchy among the researchers and the diversity of background of the researchers.
  • Reminding of the discomfort of the discussion.
  • Establishing a constructive dialogue and avoiding a blame game.
  • Acknowledging the diversity of perspectives