In June 2016, the Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher
Education and Research for Development (Norhed) hosted a conference on
the theme of 'knowledge for development' in an attempt to shift the
focus of the programme towards its academic content. This book follows
up on that event. The conference highlighted the usefulness of
presenting the value of Norhed's different projects to the world,
showing how they improve knowledge and expand access to it through
co-operation. A wish for more meta-knowledge was also expressed and this
gives rise to the following questions:
- Is this way of co-operating contributing to the growth of independent
post-colonial knowledge production in the South, based on analyses of
local data and experiences in ways that are relevant to our shared
future?
- Does the growth of academic independence, as well as greater equality,
and the ability to develop theories different to those imposed by the
better-off parts of the world, give rise to deeper understandings and
better explanations?
- Does it, at least, spread the ability to translate existing
methodologies in ways that add meaning to observations of local context
and data, and thus enhance the relevance and influence of the academic
profession locally and internationally?
This book, in its varied contributions, does not provide definite
answers to these questions but it does show that Norhed is a step in the
right direction. Norhed is an attempt to fund collaboration within and
between higher education institutions. We know that both the uniqueness
of this programme, and ideas of how to better utilise the learning and
experience emerging from it, call for more elaboration and broader
dissemination before we can offer further guidance on how to do things
better. This book is a first attempt.
