Gemini Centre Global Impact
Hybrid seminar: Rethinking Global Research Partnerships: Power, Knowledge and Ethics
On 27 May, the NTNU Global South Initiative and the NTNU-SINTEF Gemini Center Global Impact hosted the hybrid seminar “Rethinking Global Research Partnerships: Power, Knowledge and Ethics.” The event brought together researchers and institutional leaders to examine how global research collaborations are shaped by unequal funding structures, knowledge hierarchies, and institutional practices, and how these can be challenged and reshaped.
Global asymmetries in funding and knowledge production
Professor Cathrine Brun and Dr. Cyrine Saab from the Centre for Lebanese Studies (CLS) presented findings from several studies on equity in knowledge production, ethical partnerships, and funding structures. Their work shows that global research partnerships continue to reproduce long standing inequalities.
A mapping of funded forced migration research in the South-West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region revealed a consistent pattern. Most funding originated in the global North, and project ownership remained overwhelmingly Northern.
Their analysis of more than 700 articles on refugee education showed similar imbalances. Despite the fact that over 85% of the world’s refugees are hosted in the global South, more than 60% of studies focus on refugee education in the global North. Additionally, more than 90% of the articles are authored by scholars based in Northern institutions. These patterns shape academic debates as well as policy and practice.
Partnerships that reproduce the inequalities they aim to solve
CLS is co developing a code of conduct for global research partnerships through the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN). Their review of existing guidelines identifies five main gaps in research partnerships:
- Ontological and epistemological gaps: limited reflection on purpose, function and ethical foundations of research partnerships
- Governance gaps: financial authority often lies in the global north
- Institutional gaps: financial and evaluation systems privilege northern hierarchies
- Contractual arrangements: global south partners unable to sign or directly administer grants
- Enforcement gaps: little clarity about accountability
They also shared experiences from a Spencer Foundation project in Lebanon, where CLS collaborates with a teachers’ union and a refugee led organisation. The project illustrates both the potential and the challenges of co producing knowledge under conditions of crisis, unequal financial systems, and shifting expectations.
Ten emerging principles for equitable research
As part of their ongoing work, CLS has formulated 10 draft principles for more ethical and equitable global research partnerships; principles they will continue to refine through international workshops. These principles hihghlight the importance of:
- Equity as structural, not interpersonal
- Shared agenda setting
- Redistribution of power in funding
- Institutional capacity strengthening as mutual and long-term
- Fair recognition and ownership of knowledge
- Governance and decision-making equity
- Sustainability beyond project funding
- Contextual relevance and epistemic diversity
- Accountability and measurement
- Reflexivity and historical awareness
These principles offer a starting point for institutions seeking to move beyond extractive models and toward more solidarity based forms of collaboration.
Panel reflections: institutional responsibility and future directions
The panel discussion brought in perspectives from NTNU and SINTEF, together with the perspectives from CLS.
Charlotte Nakakaawa Jjunju (NTNU) highlighted the need for NTNU to critically examine its own partnerships and consider conducting a systematic review of its collaborations in the global South. Strengthening agency among Southern partners, she argued, requires long term engagement and shared agenda setting.
Petter Støa (SINTEF) pointed to the structural constraints of the global funding landscape and called for more ambitious international funding mechanisms:
We need a global Horizon, not just Horizon Europe.
As global research programmes increasingly open for collaboration beyond Europe, institutions like NTNU and SINTEF face both an opportunity and a responsibility: to build partnerships grounded in mutual learning, shared priorities, and fairer knowledge production.