NORTH–SOUTH–SOUTH 10 YEARS:
A DECADE OF SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH ACADEMIC MOBILITY
ISBN 978-951-805-649-5 (print) 978-951-805-650-1 (pdf)Editor: Ian CowieEditorial board: Maija Airas, Ian Cowie, Vilja Liikanen, Annika Sundbäck, Virve ZenknerLayout: Satu SalmivalliInfographics: Liisa ValtonenPhotos: Ian Cowie, Meeri Koutaniemi, Vilja Liikanen, Vesa Nuorva, Jani VehviläinenPrint: Lönnberg Print & PromoCentre for International Mobility CIMO2015
The North–South–South Higher Education Institution Network Programme supports thematic
networks between higher education instututions in Finland and in developing countries. The
main focus is on reciprocal student and teacher exchange and joint intensive courses arranged
in the South.
The purpose of the programme is to enhance human capacity in all participating countries
through interaction and mobility. The aim is also to generate and disseminate knowledge and
to create sustainable partnerships between higher education institutions in Finland and in the
partner countries.
The programme is funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and administered by the
Centre for Intenational Mobility CIMO.
www.cimo.fi | Programmes | North–South–South
SUPPORTED BY OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT AID
FROM THE MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF FINLAND
Greeting from the Minister for International Development
Introduction
The Finnish education system
Development cooperation and higher education
International student mobility in Finland
Exploring the world with a strong moral compass
Amazing Alumni: Meeri Koutaniemi
One man´s dream for development
Amazing Alumni: Miguel Marrengula
Collaborating on climate change
Education for all: The academic contribution to teacher education in Ethiopia
The impact of human rights-based projects in Zanzibar
Journalism for change: From government run newspapers to guerilla bloggers
Empowering communities through NSS partnerships
Testimonials
Key figures
CONTENTS
4
6
6
7
9
10
10
13
13
16
19
22
24
28
31
34
North–South–South 10 Years4
GREETING FROM THE MINISTER FOR
Education is a human right with
immense power to transform.
On its foundation rest the
cornerstones of freedom,
democracy and sustainable
human development.”
– Kofi Annan
Strengthening human capital through investments
in higher education is strongly needed to create
growth and socio-economic development in any
country. Globally speaking, there has been an in-
crease in funding for higher education during the
last decade, however, this trend is geographically
imbalanced.
While there are over 7 000 researchers per one mil-
lion inhabitants in Finland, they amount to only 4–5
in some least developed countries. While over 40%
of the secondary-level students continue into high-
er education in Finland, the similar figure in Sub-
Saharan Africa is only around 6%. Mozambique, a
country with a population of 24 million, produces
around 10 000 higher education graduates annually,
as compared to over 50 000 in Finland (UNESCO
statistics).
Higher education plays a key role in efforts to attain
the Millennium Development Goals, including
primary education, the eradication of poverty and
hunger, maternal and child health, gender equality
and the empowerment of women as well as in the
combat against pandemic diseases and in ensuring
environmental sustainability.
”
North–South–South 10 Years 5
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Finland’s Development Policy Programme 2012
emphasises four areas: a democratic and accounta-
ble society that promotes human rights, an inclusive
green economy that promotes employment, sustain-
able natural resources management and environ-
mental protection, and human development. Edu-
cation is vital in order to make people aware of their
own rights, and equally academic learning is needed
to fulfil objectives such as inclusive green economy
and sustainable growth.
Finland has actively supported academic mobility
through the North–South–South programme since
2004. All kind of international cooperation and
common activities start by meetings between indi-
viduals, and these encounters may have a distinc-
tive impact on the future choices of the persons
involved. Moreover, the cases presented in this pub-
lication provide examples on how academic mobility
has eventually contributed in capacity building be-
yond the individual level.
The North–South–South programme was, togeth-
er with the Higher education Institution Institution-
al Cooperation Instrument HEI ICI submitted to a
joint international evaluation in spring 2014. The
evaluation report recommends a continuation of the
support to capacity building of higher education in
developing countries, highlighting a future, continu-
ous commitment by the Finnish Ministry for For-
eign Affairs to development cooperation within the
higher education sector.
Sirpa Paatero
Minister for International Development
North–South–South 10 Years6
INTRODUCTION
Since 2004, the North–South–South programme
has supported student and staff mobility between
higher education institutions in Finland and in de-
veloping countries, reaching out to more than 5 800
individuals.
The decade has been a fruitful period, during which
impressive results have been gained.
The programme has granted 15.9 million euros to
248 higher education institution networks during
2004–2014. A total of 1 755 student exchanges and
1 185 teacher exchanges have been implemented, as
well as 118 intensive courses.
Qualitative results include for example new teach-
ing material, student-centered and interactive teach-
ing methods integrated into curricula, joint teaching
modules or joint e-learning opportunities offered
to students and research-based knowledge dissemi-
nated to local communities through cooperation
with non-governmental organizations.
The aim of this publication is to highlight and
demonstrate the impact of the activities funded
through this programme.
The Finnish education system
The Finnish higher education system consists of
two complementary sectors: universities of applied
sciences (also known as polytechics) and universi-
ties. There are 14 universities and 24 universities of
applied sciences under the the Ministry of Educa-
tion and Culture.
Universities conduct scientific research and pro-
vide instruction and postgraduate education based
on it. Universities confer Bachelor’s and Mas-
ter’s degrees, and postgraduate licentiate and doc-
toral degrees. They work in cooperation with the
suspending society and promote the social im-
pact of research findings. Universities of applied
sciences train professionals in multiple fields in re-
sponse to labour market needs and conduct applied
research promoting regional development. As pro-
fessional development, the university of applied sci-
ence in Finland is also entitled to award Master’s
Degrees. The language of teaching is either Finnish
or Swedish as Finland is officially a bilingual coun-
try. Additionally the Finnish higher educational in-
stitutions provide close to 500 degree and non-de-
gree programmes in English.
North–South–South 10 Years 7
Prior to the higher education level the Finnish ed-
ucational system consists of one year of voluntary
pre-primary education, nine years of primary ed-
ucation (comprehensive school), upper secondary
education, which consists of vocational or general
education.
Education is primarily co-financed by the govern-
ment and local authorities. One of the basic princi-
ples of the Finnish education system is that all peo-
ple must have equal access to high-quality education
and training: there are no tuition fees in any level.
The Finnish education policy aims to quality, effi-
ciency, equity – and internationalization.
Development cooperation
and higher education
The Strategy for the internationalization of
higher education in Finland 2009–2015 men-
tions global responsibility is as one of strategic pri-
orities. To operationalize and support this objective,
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs funds two develop-
ment cooperation programmes: the North–South–
South and the Higher Education Institutions Insti-
tutional Cooperation Instrument (HEI ICI). The
HEI ICI supports collaboration projects between
higher education institutions in Finland and devel-
oping countries and seeks to enhance higher edu-
cation capacity in the developing world. Further-
more, the Academy of Finland funds research
links between Finnish universities and developing
countries research cooperation.
The Finnish official development aid to basic edu-
cation has been significantly supported through the
Education for all agenda. There is, nevertheless,
weak focus on the much needed capacity building
within higher education. Finland’s support to the
higher education sector in developing countries is
remarkably low compared to other similar-minded
and -sized countries such as Austria, Belgium, The
Netherlands, Norway and Portugal as shown by the
following comparison.
North–South–South 10 Years8
Development aid to post-secondary education (USD millions)
Source: OECD
Austria
Belgium
Finland
The Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
North–South–South 10 Years 9
International student mobility in Finland
In 2013, there were 10 189 incoming and 9 739
outgoing exchange students in Finnish higher ed-
ucation institutions. The African continent counted
only for 1.4% of the incoming exchange students,
and respectively 3.6% of the outgoing Finnish ex-
change students. In general, the Finnish student mo-
bility activities are highly Europe-centered, due to
the financial support available through the EU pro-
gramme Erasmus.
On the contrary, and despite of the fact that Finnish
government does not offer scholarship programs to
degree students, the Finnish long-term development
cooperation partner countries are clearly among the
top home countries of the 19 886 international de-
gree students in higher education (2013). Within the
top 20 home countries, 9 are developing countries,
out of which 4 Finnish long-term development co-
operation partner countries (Vietnam, Nepal, Ethio-
pia and Kenya). The most common home countries
are China and Russia, but Vietnam and Nepal stand
3rd and 4th.
Despite the fact that the focus in this publication
is on voices of individuals, the articles reflect the
broader consequences of the programme, both on
institutional and societal level.
We hope that the stories will bring enthousiasm and
motivation for future work on the relevant theme of
higher education and global responsibility.
North–South–South 10 Years10
EXPLORING THE WORLD WITH A STRONG MORAL COMPASS
Amazing Alumni: Meeri Koutaniemi
Meeri Koutaniemi has always had a strong moral
compass. Whether investigating female genital mu-
tilated in Kenya, illuminating the gross injustices of
preventable diseases in Ethiopia, or journeying on
North–South–South student exchange, her com-
pass has always stayed true.
Koutaniemi is an award-winning Finnish photo-
journalist who has lived and worked in more than
30 countries around the world. Through her vivid
photographs, thought-provoking articles and jaw-
dropping films, Koutaniemi has been able to give
dignity and justice to marginalized people through-
out the world.
While studying photojournalism at the University of
Tampere in 2011, Koutaniemi was presented with
a unique opportunity. She had the chance to spend
an entire semester working at a local TV station in
the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. Through
the NSS programme, Koutaniemi was able build the
foundation for what has become a stalwart career in
journalism.
Discovering the past and present
of the Herero tribe
During her student exchange in Namibia, Kouta-
niemi was presented with a paradox. While walking
along the slums of Katutura, she noticed a group of
exotically dressed women that she later discovered
to be members of the Herero tribe.
“I came across the Herero tribe just by seeing them
passing by in the streets and started asking from
my local friends what was the story behind of their
dresses,” says Koutaniemi. “I started to investigate
their recent past, and came across the horrors done
to them in concentration camps 100 years ago.”
Throughout the early 20th century, the Herero
tribes of southern Africa were under constant threat
from German colonists. During this time, more than
80,000 Hereros were killed in German concentra-
tion camps, which wiped out nearly 80 per cent of
the population. This tumultuous period of time has
left an indelible mark on the Herero people, which
can be witnessed nowadays in everything from local
traditions and customs, right down to the clothing
and appearance of modern day tribes.
Despite this painful history, the Herero’s have em-
braced colonial styles, and in a way “de-colonized
North–South–South 10 Years 11
themselves from their previous conquerors by tak-
ing the style of the Germans, and re-customizing it
into their own.”
Koutaniemi and her friend Elisa Rimaila were
able to elegantly capture this contradiction through
a collection of photographs. In 2011, the project
won Portrait of the Year in Finland, and has since
been showcased throughout Finland, Denmark and
the United States.
“We just did the project by knocking on doors in
the slum of Katutura – and we never felt threatened,
just the opposite, we were delightfully welcomed to
many homes,” Koutaniemi said.
She said the NSS exchange was “a great opportuni-
ty to stay longer in one African country and have a
wider perspective to the culture by working there as
an intern and a freelancer.”
A student becomes the teacher
Since completing the exchange, Koutaniemi has
been left with a powerful feeling to continue her
work with the Herero. Last year she was afforded
that chance when she was given the opportunity to
teach a course in photojournalism at the Univer-
sity of Namibia through an NSS grant.
North–South–South 10 Years12
”It is an experience that you will not regret.
The amount of surprises, and the amount
of knowledge you will learn from another
culture, and eventually about yourself, will
be remarkable. And don’t forget, that every-
thing depends on your own activity, the
best things are hidden, so be curious and
explore them with open eyes!”
Top 3 of NSS student and teacher exchanges
1. South Africa: 431
2. Tanzania: 354
3. Namibia: 298
“That was a deepening experience that really grew
my desire to do participatory teaching in the future.”
Later that year, Koutaniemi and her colleague Lea
Pakkanen completed a project about a group of
women who have been systematically oppressed
for decades. The Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar
have been the target for ethnic cleansing since 2012,
and Koutaniemi and Pakkanen were able to expose
this injustice through a series of provocative photo-
graphs.
Koutaniemi is currently living in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, where she is working on a project about the
effects of the World Cup on local families living in
favelas.
Koutaniemi is the perfect embodiment of the tow-
ering possibilities that are made possible through
NSS programmes. She recommends the experience
to any student or teacher seeking to broaden their
worldview and advises: “Don’t hesitate, and apply!”
North–South–South 10 Years 13
ONE MAN´S DREAM FOR DEVELOPMENT
Amazing Alumni: Miguel Marrengula
When Miguel Marrengula arrived in Finland for the
first time in 2007, he never imagined how much the
small Nordic country would impact his life and oth-
ers in his community. In seven short years, Marren-
gula went from being an undergraduate exchange
student, to being one of only two people from Mo-
zambique to attain a PhD in Social Work.
He now lives and works back in his home city
of Maputo where he tries to give others the same
opportunity of higher education that he received in
Finland. Last year, Marrengula founded ISEDEL
(Instituto Superior de estudos de Desenvolvimento
Local), the first higher education institution (HEI)
in Mozambique that focuses specifically on devel-
opment issues from local perspectives.
“I dream very big,” says Marrengula. “My dream is
that one day I will run one of the best institutions for
development studies in sub-Saharan Africa – best in
terms of quality of education, best in terms of quali-
ty of research and best in terms of social provisions.”
A dream begins to take shape
Marrengula´s dream came to fruition in February of
2013 when ISEDEL opened its doors to the public
for the first time. The institution´s aim is to promote
development, empower communities and stimulate
participation through local perspectives.
“We wanted to create our own place to create jobs
and entrepreneurship opportunities.”
Being the first NSS exchange student from Mozam-
bique, Marrengula was one of the early pioneers of
the programme. While in his final year of studies at
Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, the head
of the Social Work department asked him and his
colleague if they would be interested in going on an
“exchange” to Finland.
“We had never had exchange studies before at my
university, so this was something totally new for us,”
recalls Marrengula.
North–South–South 10 Years14
Planting roots in Finland
As the plane soared over the snow-covered land-
scape, Marrengula began to contemplate what life
might be like in this exciting new place. What are the
people like, will I learn the language and what will
the winters be like?
“When I left Mozambique it was 31 degrees,” says
Marrengula with a chuckle. “When I looked out the
window of the plane, all I could see was white. It was
minus 23 degrees, and I thought it was too cold for
anyone to survive in this place.”
Winter was not the only surprise awaiting Marren-
gula. As he waited for his bus outside the airport
terminal, wearing only a sweater and jeans, Marren-
gula was about to have his first experience with cul-
ture shock.
“At the very beginning I thought that Finns were
very difficult to deal with,” explains Marrengula.
“For example, in Mozambique you say hi and talk
to people if you share a bus or an elevator, but in
Finland nobody was willing to talk to anybody. It
was like being in a funeral.”
Marrengula started to doubt whether this “stu-
dent exchange” was a good idea after all. Although
he was grateful to be studying at the University of
Tampere, he was far away from everything he knew
and loved. Like many students who venture aboard,
Marrengula began to feel trapped and isolated.
But as winter changed to spring, so did Marrengula´s
impression of Finland. Equipped with a new outlook
on life, Marrengula began to make the most of his
time. He started to learn the language, make friends
and build a social network.
“I said to myself then that, I have come this far; I will
not give up now.”
By the end of his exchange, Marrengula had almost
as many friends as university credits. In fact, he had
amassed so many credits that he had all but finished
the requirements for a Master’s degree.
Advice for future NSS projects
“I feel fortunate, and I think that the North–South–
South programme should continue and take a step
forward. I would suggest funding more long-term
projects such as master and doctorate exchange
programmes. I am a living example of what is
possible with a little help.”
North–South–South 10 Years 15
Dr. Miguel Marrengula (right) standing in front of the newly created
ISEDEL, March 2014.
Social work
and health care
is the best represented
subject field.
North–South–South 10 Years16
COLLABORATING ON CLIMATE CHANGE
As global temperatures continue to rise and threat-
en ecosystems we all depend on for life, one thing is
clear: We must work together if we want our grand-
children to inherit the same world as us.
One network that has done well in adopting this co-
operative approach to climate change is the Finnish–
African Exchange Network for Higher Edu-
cation in Environmental Sciences, or simply
put, FANHEES. Through the knowledge triangle of
students, teachers and researchers, experts from
municipalities and industry and local citizens, the
network has been able to draw from a large pool
of forward thinkers that are developing innovative
solutions to deal with climate change.
Jani Mikael Vehviläinen is one of these forward
thinking individuals who are looking to reshape how
we look at the world. A glass-half-full kind of guy,
Vehviläinen is not one to pass up on an opportunity
to sharpen his skills and knowledgebase, so when he
was asked to go on NSS exchange to Botswana last
year, it was a no-brainer. Although it wasn´t easy to
leave his friends and family behind, Vehviläinen said
he had no regrets when reflexing on his journey.
“My self-confidence grew a lot during my stay in
Botswana,” said Vehviläinen. “Before my exchange
period, I used to question my capabilities a lot, but
now I am more aware of them. I also feel that I am
more prepared to confront new challenges in both
professional and personal levels.”
Addressing common challenges
After getting settled in what would be his new home
for the next five months, Vehviläinen had the op-
portunity to participate in an intensive course about
how climate change is affecting people living in the
Kalahari Desert.
“The course for me was an eye-opener because it
gave me a chance to see how the locals are adapt-
ing to the causes of climate change,” he continued.
“I really would hope that everyone could have the
opportunity to see what I saw during the course;
maybe then people would consider their role in all
of this a little more.”
Now more than ever, we are living in an intercon-
nected world where any two people can meet at the
click of a mouse. Vehviläinen says the North–South–
South network gives students and teachers the op-
portunity to see the world through new eyes, the
kind of eyes that see how much we are alike rather
than focusing on the few ways we are different.
North–South–South 10 Years 17
37% of the 1 755 North–South–South
exchange students were male.
North–South–South 10 Years
“We are living in a time where we are just starting
to understand the importance of global awareness.
We need these modern day explorers (exchange
students) who are willing to throw themselves into
an adventure, so we can expand our global know-
ledge of different cultures.”
With reports of sea levels rising up to four metres in
the next two century, the future can at times seem
bleak. But if more people like Vehviläinen and the
FANHEES network become aware of the issues and
start thinking of solutions, who knows what future
innovation might be in store.
18
Other universities that have
participated in the FANHEES
programme so far including:
NorthWest University (South
Africa), University of Botswana,
Helsinki Metropolia University
of Applied Sciences (Finland)
and HAMK University of
Applied Sciences (Finland).
North–South–South 10 Years 19
EDUCATION FOR ALL: THE ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTION TO TEACHER EDUCATION IN ETHIOPIA
Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made
significant progress in education development dur-
ing recent years. Nevertheless, a quarter of children
who reached grade four in primary school did
not learn the basics and over a third dropped out
before completing grade four, states the Education
For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report 2013/14.
UNESCO refers to the challenging situation as a
crisis of learning and teaching.
Finland’s long-term collaboration partner country
Ethiopia has shown a strong commitment to pro-
vide universal primary education, thereby achieving
the Millennium Development Goal two by 2015.
The bilateral education cooperation has focused on
teacher education and inclusive education1,
first started as special education teacher training al-
ready in the 1980s.
Three million children out of school
in Ethiopia
In September 2013 the Ministry of Education in
Ethiopia launched a campaign with the aim to create
awareness about the importance of schooling for all
and to achieve the goal of universal primary educa-
tion2. Teacher education institutions can hardly re-
spond to the increasing demand for training teach-
ing staff. Lack of qualified teachers adds to another
current concern, the overall poor quality of educa-
tion. Here is how the numbers breakdown:
Net enrolment rates3 for lower primary school
(grades 1–4) have reached 98.2% for boys and
92.8% for girls in 2012/20134.
Average enrolment rate in Saharan Africa was 77%
in 20115.
Only 40% of children completed primary education
and 52% of youth were literate in 2011, while the
primary education completion rate in sub-Saharan
Africa was 56%.
Three million children were out-of-school in 2011.
Considering the serious challenges in education
development, what is, and should be, the contribu-
tion of academic North–South–South collabora-
tion?
I asked the views of our colleagues in Ethiopia.
Academic collaboration for capacity development of
both junior and senior university staff was the first
issue mentioned.
North–South–South 10 Years20
The doctoral students were able to touch base
with recent literatures in inclusive education and
prominent professors in the field. They have ben-
efitted from the consultations for instance enriching
their dissertation research and getting new insights
and understanding in inclusive education. Senior
staffs have also benefitted a lot through sharing of
experience with Finnish Scholars in the field of in-
clusive education. Tirussew Teferra
Professor & Laureate in Education,
Dean, College of Education and Behavioral Studies,
Addis Ababa University
The academic collaboration has a positive contri-
bution in building the capacity of students and staff
through the exchange program. Many of us have
benefited from the CIMO exchange in Finland. All
seven PhD candidates, who took part in exchange
activities, have benefited from the collaboration and
six of them are now PhD holders.
Belay Hagos Hailu
PhD, Assistant Professor, Addis Ababa University
The collaboration has helped us to transfer our
knowledge and experience to the local schools and
colleges who are running inclusive education pro-
grams…Addis Ababa University as the main insti-
tution in the country with its Department of Special
Needs Education contributes to the success of EFA
and inclusive education.
Yirgashewa Bekele Abdi
PhD, Assistant Professor, Addis Ababa University
There is a lot of work to do in light of the re-
maining challenges in education development
in Ethiopia and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.
Therefore, critical questions are how we togeth-
er further develop our academic collaboration and
what we can do better.
Differences in approaches to education that may
risk our collaboration should not go unrecognized.
One example is that partners of the global EFA pro-
cess, including Finland, define education as a basic
human right, while in Ethiopia priority is given to
the instrumental value of education in socio-eco-
nomic development. Civil society organizations
which receive funding from abroad are not allowed
to advocate for human rights, especially concerning
women, children and persons with disabilities. In
Finland, where we have a long tradition of dialogue
between the government and civil society, it may be
”
“
”
“
”
“
North–South–South 10 Years 21
difficult to understand the societal context and lim-
ited space for dialogue in Ethiopia. There is, howev-
er, room for academic collaboration and demand for
educational development.
Finally, what we need is longer term commit-
ments. In Finland, it has taken us a century ‘to
build the house’, i.e. to include all and produce high
learning achievements with respect to gender and
regional equality and equity – and the work contin-
ues as ‘the house’ requires maintenance and repairs.
The critical ‘foundation stones’ have been political
will and funding, public interest in learning, teach-
er education responsive to societal changes and re-
search-based education development. All these ele-
ments and more are necessary in Ethiopia, where
as Dean Tirussew Teferra emphasizes, “above all,
along with the academic component, the social and
cultural dimensions need to be also underscored.”
Elina Lehtomäki
Adjunct Professor, PhD, Senior researcher
at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Former adviser to the Ethiopian Federal Ministry
of Education chez Opifer Ltd/Ministry for
Foreign Affairs of Finland (2004–2007)
1 Inclusive education refers to the broad definition by UNESCO
according to which education is a fundamental basic right,
enabling participation and learning for all, including girls and
women, disadvantaged groups, children with disabilities and out-
of-school children and youth.
2 UNICEF Ethiopia, http://unicefethiopia.wordpress.com/2013/09/
18/ministry-of-education-in-ethiopia-launches-awareness-cam-
paign-on-back-to-school/
3 Net enrolment rate refers to school-age students enrolled in a given
level of education expressed as a percentage of the corresponding
school-age population.
4 Ministry of Education (MoE) of Ethiopia (2013) Education Statistics
Annual Abstract: November 2005 EC. [2012/13 GC]. Ministry
of Education, Addis Ababa.
http://www.moe.gov.et/English/Resources/Documents/eab05.pdf
5 UNESCO (2014). Teaching and learning: achieving quality for all.
Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2013/14,
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-
international-agenda/efareport/reports/2013
North–South–South 10 Years22
Waves of change are sweeping over the picturesque
island of Zanzibar.
Situated 25 kilometers off the coast of East Africa,
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous island in Tanzania.
In recent years, a fierce political debate has been
stirring as Tanzanians decide whether Zanzibar
should become a fully autonomous state and sever
half-century-long ties with mainland Tanzania.
While many people visit the island to enjoy water
sports, dolphin watching and the vast sandy beach-
es, there are others who come to the island on more
serious matters.
Markku Suksi is a professor of Public Law at Åbo
Akademi in Turku who is well versed in Zanzibar´s
current political struggles. In 2010, Suksi taught an
intensive course at Zanzibar University, focusing
on elections, referendums and the public’s right to
know. One year later he published his results in a
book focusing on territorial autonomy, and how it
is used to resolve conflict disputes involving minori-
ties.
“I have always been interested in these particular ar-
eas of human rights issues, so it was very fruitful
for me to be a part of this programme,” says Suksi.
Since 2008, five African and two Finnish universi-
ties have collaborated through the North–South–
South Sustainable Development and Human Rights
project. The goal is to advance the understanding
of complex relationship between human rights and
sustainable development through a multidiscipli-
nary approach.
Having the opportunity to conduct field research in
Zanzibar was “absolutely essential,” says Suksi, as it
allowed him to access the required documents and
human resources needed for his research.
“I benefitted tremendously from the research
that I was able to carry out there. It would have been
very difficult to access information about Zanzibar
without this possibility to visit Zanzibar.”
However, Suksi was not the only one who benefit-
ted from the visit. The lecture could not have hap-
pened at a better time. As students geared-up for
the upcoming elections, having the chance to engage
THE IMPACT OF HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED PROJECTS IN ZANZIBAR
North–South–South 10 Years 23
1 185 teachers have participated
in the North–South–South exchanges.
with an internationally renowned expert in public
law was too good an opportunity to pass up. Suksi´s
lecture filled the large auditorium at Zanzibar Uni-
versity.
“I have a feeling that this is something the students
could benefit from; not only in their studies, but
also in their understanding of different political pro-
cesses leading up to elections, and how the right to
participation is to be implemented at the nation-
al, sub-state, or even individual level such as in the
voter booths.”
North–South–South 10 Years24
JOURNALISM FOR CHANGE: FROM GOVERNMENT RUN NEWSPAPERS TO GUERILLA BLOGGERS
Ullamaija Kivikuru is a Finnish journalist, re-
searcher and lecturer with more than 30 years of ex-
perience teaching, writing and living in Africa. On
March 20, 2014, I had the pleasure to pick her brain
about the evolution of African journalism, discuss
some of the challenges moving forward, and learn
more about her newest venture, the Journalism for
Change project, funded by the NSS programme.
Cowie: What is the Journalism for Change project,
and how does it contribute to Finland’s new human
rights based approach to Development Policy Goals?
Kivikuru: The Journalism for Change project is a
student and teacher exchange programme that aims
to prepare young journalists from Finland, Zambia,
Tanzania and Namibia to meet the complex social
problems facing their countries.
The media have a say in the weakening of inequality
between the urban/rural contradiction and the so-
called digital divide, existing inside these societies,
and that is what our project is focusing on. In an in-
direct way, journalism is also considered as being a
crucial element in the promotion of equality in
general and gender equality in particular. Profes-
sionalization of journalism has in Africa meant an
expansion in numbers of woman journalists.
The phase of the project starting next August espe-
cially focuses on the ‘eternal values’ of journalism,
media ethics and quality. We – all the six part-
ners – try to develop joint courses, partly online,
partly face-to-face education to prepare students
for Master-level studies. We see it as an important
goal. Africa has today fairly well operating Bache-
lor programmes, but the Master programmes need
strengthening, also in Finland where the university
system has changed markedly in recent years.
I think the NSS mobility projects are a great tool
for making Finnish academic life more internation-
al. When you talk about the development goals, I
think because all the projects go through such keen
scrutiny, they have to be in harmony with the Finn-
ish development goals.
Cowie: How has African journalism evolved over the
past two decades?
Kivikuru: African journalism has quite a lot of con-
tradictions involved. It changed radically in the be-
North–South–South 10 Years 25
ginning of the 1990s when a lot of newspaper and
TV channels began to appear. Of course, you can
say that democracy expanded and more voices were
heard, but quite a few of the voices were commer-
cial, which I´m not sure had too much to do with de-
mocracy. In principal, it was a very good, but dras-
tic change.
However, during that time, the level of journal-
ism education went down, especially in countries
like Tanzania. The media began to rapidly expand
and add more channels, but the educational institu-
tions’ were the same as before. So what happened
was quite a lot of these [journalism] crash courses
were put up by international organizations which
claimed to educate journalists in two weeks, or two
months, or something like that. But actually, the
people didn´t know too much about journalism, and
in many of the African countries there was a peri-
od of scandal journalism or sensational journalism
at the end of the 1990s. It was quite a messy period.
Now things have calmed down. The media field is
much more varied, but still there is this phenom-
enon where the media come and go. A newspaper
might be very good for two years and then it disap-
pears when the money is out. Those kinds of things
happen on a continuous basis.
Cowie: What are some of the challenges facing Afri-
can journalists´ today?
Kivikuru: There are three main challenges. Mon-
ey is the biggest constraint. They call it the “brown
envelope phenomenon,” where you have a PR con-
ference, and towards the end of the conference,
the ones who are organizing the conference dish
out brown envelopes, either with money or mem-
ory sticks in them. Of course, if the level of pay is
very low for journalists, it is very difficult to fight
the temptation. Some people take the envelopes and
write favorable stories.
The second constraint is the legal system. For ex-
ample, in South Africa there has been a very diffi-
cult process of changing the legal system concern-
ing the media. In Zambia, they have been expecting
a new law which they feel will open up the situation
to make the role of private and public broadcasting
more clear. But there is always someone who is try-
ing to resist change and it has been in the pipeline
for six or seven years now.
North–South–South 10 Years26
The third factor is the fact that the role of me-
dia (in Africa) is not the same as in industrialized
countries. People are not as used to having the me-
dia with them. This is a learning period as more and
more media becomes available and people start us-
ing them. For example, if you have dozens of news-
papers, all of which cost money, and people have
hardly enough money for their daily basic needs,
then they cannot buy all the newspapers. They buy
one, and it might not be the best one.
Cowie: How is the landscape of old vs new media
taking shape in Africa?
Kivikuru: One could say that online media and new
technologies offers a cheap means of producing me-
dia, and one could think that media in Africa would
jump all over this new medium. Partly it´s true, but
partly it is not. The internet system in Africa is very
limited. It is usually under government control ei-
ther directly or by government run universities and
so on.
What has begun to start happening is much of
the political debates have switch to online media
through blogs. The conventional media are pretty
much unanimous in terms of political moves, while
there are very vivid and fierce debates going on
online. Take what has happened in Zambia for ex-
ample. After the government shut down one of the
most popular sites for political debate in the coun-
try, the site was able to keep up and running by
moving to Malawi. Online media do not recognize
any national borders.
North–South–South 10 Years 27
Journalism is considered
a crucial element
in promoting of equality.””
North–South–South 10 Years28
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH NSS PARTNERSHIPS
On the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu,
Nepal, lies a community stricken by poverty. You
won´t find hot showers, indoor heating or plumbing
in any of the small tin shanties that line the river, but
what you will find is HOPE.
The Holistic Partnership in Social Work and
Health Care Education, otherwise known as
HOPE, is a network project that combines the re-
sources and knowhow of seven universities through-
out Finland, Vietnam and Nepal. Started in 2007,
the project fosters joint learning, cultural compe-
tence and professional skills for working with vul-
nerable groups such as street children and female
drug users. Coordinated by Diaconia University
of Applied Sciences (Diak), the project is financed
and supported by CIMO. Elsa Keskitalo, a Senior
Lecturer at Diak, knows firsthand the importance of
international collaboration when working with
vulnerable groups. Keskitalo has been researching
global perspectives on social work and social policy
for more than a decade, and in 2011 she joined 15
senior lecturers from Finland, Nepal and Vietnam in
bilateral teacher exchanges.
“The exchange was an eye-opening experience in
many ways,” says Keskitalo. “To see the circum-
stances there (in Nepal) first-hand, and to work with
local colleagues, students and social service provid-
ers was important.”
In November 2011, more than 70 students and
teachers from the three countries came together for
an intensive course. The course explored communi-
ty based approaches to social work and health care
studies by providing students with practical hands-
on experiences in research and development work.
“The intensive course promoted a joint learning en-
vironment and was a good basis for future co-oper-
ation,” Keskitalo added.
Facilitating South–South Collaborations
One of the ways NSS works to support develop-
ment is by creating sustainable partnerships be-
tween HEIs, especially in impoverished countries
that normally would not have the opportunity to
collaborate. The HOPE project is a perfect exam-
ple of this as it brought together two HEIs that had
never worked together before – St. Xavier´s College
in Nepal and Hue College of Medicine and Pharma-
cy in Vietnam. It also marked the first time a social
work and nursing college had partnered in Nepal.
North–South–South 10 Years 29
During the week-long course, students and teach-
ers carried out small-scale surveys in the riverside
slums of Kathmandu. The project highlights the
benefits of community centered research projects,
and gives us a blueprint for future partnerships be-
tween NGOs, HEIs and vulnerable groups.
A path to deeper cooperation
The HOPE project also included a seminar and
workshop hosted by Diak. The seminar brought to-
gether more than 100 teachers, students and pro-
fessionals involved in the HOPE project, includ-
ing Riikka Hälikkä, Head of International Affairs at
Diak.
“Over the past few years, HOPE has developed and
grown, and I think today we can say that the HOPE
partnership is one of the key strategic partnerships
of Diak,” Hälikkä said.
Hälikkä has made a point to emphasize the impor-
tance of NSS intensive courses in enhancing coop-
eration between universities in developing countries.
“The NSS intensive courses have been a real plat-
form of innovation. The courses have created spin-
offs in research, community development and in
other ways. For example, as a spin-off of HOPE in-
tensive courses in Nepal three years ago, we are
now in a process of running a project in Nepal in
collaboration with two local NGOs.”
118 intensive courses
reached out to 3 838
students and teachers.
Intensive courses are always
organized in the South.
North–South–South 10 Years30
A Diak student visiting one of the riverside slums in Kathmandu, Nepal.
North–South–South 10 Years 31
TESTIMONIALS
“The impact that NSS has had on my
life is deeper than anyone can imagine,
and this impact, this great contribution is
unique for my country. If I did not have
the chance to do my masters, I would
not have done my doctorate, and maybe
I would not be running the higher insti-
tute of social development studies. CIMO
has contributed largely to my personal life
and in my community.”
Miguel Marrengula, founder of the Higher
Institute of Social Development Studies in
Mozambique (ISEDEL)
“The NSS collaboration has offered us
the possibility to explore and further de-
velop the role of higher education institu-
tions in development cooperation. We are
really enriched by the links this project
has made with NGOs and other working
life partners in both Asian and African
countries where we work.”
Riikka Hälikkä, Head of International
Affairs at Diak
“The North–South exchange allows staff
and students an opportunity to re-eval-
uate their professional practice and per-
sonal views, to expand their knowledge
and develop greater empathy and toler-
ance. The main challenges I have encoun-
tered have been operational. Institutional
deadlines, processes and academic dates
at my institution (Cape Peninsula Uni-
versity of Technology) vary greatly from
those at Finnish institutions. These chal-
lenges and problems have been overcome
by passionate and dedicated staff at both
my own institution and Aalto.”
Vikki Du Preez, Lecturer at Cape Penin-
sula University of Technology, exchange
teacher in UFISA project””
North–South–South 10 Years32
“My time in Finland has been an adventurous one. I have experienced many new things and I
have learnt a great deal. The memories and friends made here I will cherish forever. I was quite
fortunate to study at two different universities, Aalto University and Laurea University of Applied
Sciences. They both offered a vastly different teaching method and style, however, what they have
both in common is that they enable and push the student to learn by themselves. This challenged
me to be more diligent and thorough with my research capabilities. Courses that really stood out
for me were the Internet Computing Forum at Aalto and Creative Innovation through Service
Design at Laurea. They opened my eyes to a whole new world in terms of business, customer val-
ue and idea generation. They showed me a new horizon of business and technical knowledge that
broadens my career to new peaks. This experience has given me a competitive edge over my peers.
It has equipped me with an understanding that nothing is impossible and imagination is the only
limitation to any dream.”
Enkosi Xalisa, South African Exchange Student in the UFISA project
“Besides the academic benefits, going
on exchange gives you the opportunity
to meet and network with other students
and exchange not only academic experi-
ence, but also social experience.”
Cintia Marisa, exchange student from
Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM),
Maputo, Mozambique
“I would like send my encouragement to
all those students who might not have yet
thought of going to study abroad. Do not
fear the unknown and try to find inter-
ests of your own of why to participate to
an exchange program. I will promise that
if you are willing to take this step, a step
that takes you over the borders (on a ge-
ographical and mental level), it will be a
step you will not regret.”
Jani Mikael Vehviläinen, FANHEES
exchange student from Lahti University
of Applied Sciences
”
”
North–South–South 10 Years 33
“After evaluating the program, it was
clear that the project had been a success.
Teachers learned new pedagogical meth-
ods, students learned new qualitative re-
search methods, and both students and
teachers became more familiar with com-
munity based methods in social work and
nursing, not to mention the added bene-
fit of learning in a multicultural environ-
ment.”
Sami Kivelä, Diak Lecturer, in reference to
the NSS HOPE project
“I think it´s been an enriching experience
on many levels. I´ve really benefitted from
my discussions with colleagues in Afri-
ca. It´s the talk’s we´ve had outside of the
classrooms that have sometimes been the
most beneficial.”
Ullamaija Kivikuru, a Finnish journalist,
researcher and lecturer from the University
of Helsinki
“The academic collaboration between
the University of Dar es Salaam and
(UDSM) and Finnish universities con-
tributes to overall goals of inclusive ed-
ucation development as we get opportu-
nities to get qualified professionals in the
area of inclusive education who in turn
help us improve our education systems
and quality of education to be more inclu-
sive in terms of more people being edu-
cated. We have given female students pri-
ority and hence more female students get
more access to education as a right. Stu-
dents who have received an opportunity
in this programme are mostly those from
disadvantaged groups that will rarely get
such an opportunity to get such educa-
tion. Hence, this programme is very ben-
eficial to our institution as most of the stu-
dents attending AFINITE programs are
members of staff of our School of educa-
tion and therefore it is beneficial in terms
of capacity building for our institution.”
Dean Hillary Dachi, Vice Dean, Dr. Aneth
Komba and Senior Lecturer, Dr. Vuzo
Mwajuma from the School of Education,
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
”
North–South–South 10 Years34
KEY FIGURES
Student and teacher mobility 2004–2014
Teachers
Students
Total
515
From Finland
670
To Finland
1 185
760 995 1 755
Total
1 275 1 665 2 940
North–South–South funding 2004–2014
Total number of networks funded
Funding granted, euros
Average / network, euros
248
15 883 969
64 048
Intensive courses 2007–2014
1 086
Participatingteachers
Intensive coursestotal number
Participatingstudents
2 752118
North–South–South 10 Years 35
Mobility to Finland
200
150
100
50
02004–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013* 2013–2014
personsStudents
Teachers
44 4670 76 73
104 100117
97
126
45 5567 61 69
115
78
40
94
188
Mobility from Finland
*The main reason for the increase of the figures during the academic year 2012–2013 is the large number of simultaneously running networks funded in 2011 and 2012.
200
150
100
50
02004–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013* 2013–2014
personsStudents
Teachers
5073 68 58
7462
77
3047 51 49
68
103
48
85 81
132
36 41 42
North–South–South 10 Years36
9. Ethiopia
4. Kenya
7. Mozambique
14. Nepal
2. Tanzania
11. Vietnam
5. Zambia
3. Namibia
1. South Africa
6. Uganda
8. Malawi
10. Botswana
12. Peru
13. Ghana
15. Sudan
16. Swaziland
17. Nigeria
18. Rwanda
19. Georgia
20. Egypt
21. Madagascar
22. Senegal
23. Belarus
24. Croatia
25. Kyrgyz Rep.
26. Zimbabwe
27. Liberia
28. Bosniaand Herzegovina
29. Mali
30. Montenegro
31. Malaysia
32. Mauritius
33. Thailand
North–South–South on the map 2004–2014
Finland’s primary development cooperation partner countriesare Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Tanzania, Vietnamand Zambia, previously also Namibia.
North–South–South on the map 2004–2014
North–South–South 10 Years 37
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
Country Studentsfrom Finland
Studentsto Finland
Teachersfrom Finland
Teachersto Finland
Total numberof exchanges
South Africa
Tanzania
Namibia
Kenya
Zambia
Uganda
Mozambique
Malawi
Ethiopia
Botswana
Vietnam
Peru
Ghana
Nepal
Sudan
Swaziland
Nigeria
Rwanda
Georgia
Egypt
Madagascar
Senegal
Belarus
Croatia
Kyrgyz Rep.
Zimbabwe
Liberia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mali
Montenegro
Malaysia
Mauritius
Thailand
Total
93
93
71
79
57
77
39
46
31
32
27
26
21
21
7
12
6
0
7
1
4
3
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
140
105
102
119
80
58
52
41
31
38
32
39
37
20
10
9
10
12
10
5
6
1
4
5
4
2
2
3
3
2
3
0
0
77
76
54
39
31
25
41
19
32
36
26
13
10
11
12
10
4
2
1
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
121
80
71
69
47
26
40
25
21
18
29
14
22
15
10
7
6
11
5
7
1
3
2
0
2
3
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
431
354
298
306
215
186
172
131
115
124
114
92
90
67
39
38
26
25
23
14
11
9
9
6
9
6
5
4
6
3
5
4
2
2 939664530985760
North–South–South 10 Years38
Mobility according to gender
Students from Finland Students to Finland Total
Teachers from Finland Teachers to Finland Total
527579 181 468 6491 106
264270 245 406 651534
North–South–South 10 Years
North–South–South 10 Years40
Centre for International Mobility CIMO
P.O. Box 343 (Hakaniemenranta 6)
FI-00531 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 (0)295 338 500
www.cimo.fi
www.studyinfinland.fi