Prof. Victoria Adaobi Obasi
[Ag. Vice Chancellor Imo State University]
Outline:
• Introduction: The Axiological Foundations and
Meaning of Collaboration
• Models of International Collaboration
• Reasons to Collaborate
• Challenges to intercultural/International
Collaboration
• Opportunities for Collaboration
• Conclusion
Foundations and Meaning of
Collaboration
• Latin: “working together”.
– Working together has an intrinsic value. It trains
the spirit and additionally leads to productivity and
fruitfulness.
• Collaboration essentially:
– is connected to human solidarity.
– constitutes the anchor of creativity and the creation
of community welfare and the common good.
Axiology of collaboration
• Values of Collaboration/Solidarity:
– justice, equality, truth, rule of law, rationality, discipline, democracy,
representation, creativity, dignity, patriotism (Takeichi, H., 1997:261).
• For Us Africans:
– Collaboration is a protonorm of our communalistic spirit :
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social solidarity – extended family bonds,
respect for life,
primacy of the community [“I am because we are”],
value of the individual,
sanctity of authority,
respect for elders,
religious devotion,
Honesty/truth,
charity/philanthropy,
obedience and valor.
Axiology Cont’d
Collaboration and its axiological value of solidarity is:
 an imperative of human rationality and economic survival.
We all need each other, for we are differently gifted and
uniquely endowed. No one is an island
So it fosters intellectual humility;
Our gifts reflect the diversity of geographical endowments
of nature.
Different regions of the world have gifts of human and
material resources that others do not have.
Models of International Collaboration
OECD Global Science Forum has 3 Models:
– Networks linking multiple scientific domains (i.e.
connecting social and natural sciences, conducting
inter- and trans-disciplinary studies);
– Institutional networks beyond the academic sphere
(i.e. those in non-profit, private /commercial and
public policy sectors); and
– Linkages across geographic boundaries (i.e.
communal, local, national, regional, super national,
North-South, South-South, triangular). (OECD
Global Science Forum; 2011).
Models Cont’d
Glenda Beal Provides 3 Models:
– Researcher-to-Researcher,
– Government-to-Agency/Institution and
– Distributed Collaboration Structures. [Glenda Beal, 2009]:
Reasons to Collaborate
• Promotion of Human Solidarity;
• Creation of Access;
• Achievement of Strategic Rationalities;
• Economic Sustainability;
• Enhanced Productivity, and
• Prestige.
[And I am sure the list is not exhaustive].
For the Academia:
Collaboration provides the following:
• access to links, unique sites and populations; additional links to
enhanced funding and research opportunities.
• access to and sharing of techniques and skills, foreign or joint
facilities and equipment,
• increased knowledge and technical capacity,
• engenders goodwill and understanding,
• provides platforms for foreign policy tools;
• promotes R&D in Science & Technology;
• fosters increased inward investments as well as access to foreign
markets.
• Shared costs and risks;
• strengthening of areas of weaknesses and strengths in tackling
transnational or global issues and problems.
Strategic Rationalities
Crucially as well, for
academic institutions,
beyond immediate funding
needs, strategically
collaborations provide
spaces for strategic capacity
building, staff/student
recruitment and thresholds
for retaining trainees in
institutions and thus
creating needed footholds in
policy positions in
governance, in state and
industry.
Challenges to Intercultural/
International Collaboration
• Loss of Leverage and Competitive
Advantage
• Poor Instruments of Protection for
Intellectual Property and Usufructs
• Reduction in Centralized Knowledge
• Cultural Solipsism,
• Brain Drain: Imbalance in Cultural
Capital and Exploitative Intent
Opportunities for Collaboration
Specific Areas of Collaboration:
• Research,
• Academic Programs Expansion to suit emerging
needs of our economies;
• Joint/Dual Degree Programs;
• Certificate Programs;
• Twinning;
• Transfer Programs;
• Distance and Vocational Education Programs;
• Faculty and Student Exchange Programs and
• Consultancy Partnership Programs.
Our Proposal for IMSU
WE WOULD WELCOME DISCUSSIONS FOR
COLLABORATION IN THE AREAS OF:
Engineering
Business and Management
Educational Technology
Digital Media Productions & the Performing
Arts
 Counseling &
 Nursing Programs
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Conclusion and Suggestions
FOR US IN IMSU
Thanks for the honor of having me participate in
this “Swedish-African collaboration” venture
GOD BLESS YOU!