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Project Summary
The overarching partnership aims to improve the capacities of universities in developing and emerging countries in Southeast Asia in the field of peace and conflict studies. It seeks to support the provision of high-quality education in relevant study programs, thus contributing to developing societal expertise in conflict resolution.
The aim of the programme is to provide technical and personnel support to university partners in building their capacities in the conceptualisation and contextualisation of study programmes by integrating best practices from local/traditional methods of non-violent conflict transformation and by applying peace action research to ensure context-appropriate approaches to promoting sustainable peace. The project aims to establish or further develop degree programmes in peace and conflict studies at all participating institutions.
SAUP Network activities are funded by the DAAD SDG Partnership Program with supplementary funding for key activities from the GIZ Civil Peace Service Project and Erasmus+ mobilities.
Objectives
In the field of teaching, the structures for graduate education at the partner universities should be improved, with a particular focus on bachelor’s and master’s or equivalent degree programmes. Partner universities aim to offer study and qualification programmes related to the Sustainable Development Goals that align with both the local context and the latest scientific developments. Additionally, procedures for transferring courses to other universities should be established to facilitate academic mobility and collaboration within the SAUP network.
Research findings on topics related to global interdependencies and challenges should be integrated into the teaching programmes of the participating institutions to enrich the curriculum and foster a deeper understanding among students. These topics are intended to be established as key research areas within the participating institutions, highlighting their importance and encouraging focused investigation. Furthermore, procedures should be put in place to ensure the effective dissemination and transfer of knowledge and research findings, promoting collaboration and the practical application of research outcomes across institutions and beyond. Moreover, the development of new procedures will enhance engagement with society and the community within university management, aligning institutional operations with broader social and economic goals.
Implementation
In order to achieve the overarching project goal of deepening cooperation between the partners, a governance structure has been implemented at the start of the project to ensure that all partners are involved in project development and that project goals are anchored in the institutions. All project partners are represented by senior staff (deans or directors) in a steering committee. The project team is responsible for the operational implementation of the project objectives, which include:
· Curriculum Development
· Regional Conference & Summer School
· Professional Development for Teachers and Staff
· South-South Exchanges
· SAUP Module & Online Lecture Series
The SDG partnership promotes the international profile of all participating universities. It consolidates cooperation between all partners and is designed to institutionalise exchange between them in the field of peace and conflict research in a sustainable manner. For the University of Marburg, the partnership opens up the opportunity to incorporate experience gained from teaching in countries of the Global South into its own course development and to gain experience in development cooperation. The partner universities are structurally strengthened not only in their teaching capacities but also in their role as responsible social institutions.
The concrete design and implementation of the outcomes are based on local conditions and needs. The project synergistically combines the existing competencies of the universities. In Timor-Leste and Cambodia, for example, issues relating to the use of natural resources and the respective violent past play an important role. Mindanao, on the other hand, has experienced an increase in inter-communal and inter-religious violence in recent years. The aim is to develop locally sensitive study programmes that take into account these special conditions and requirements of the universities, but also the respective social context.
