UniPID Annual Seminar 2026: Responsible Project Management in Global Academic Partnerships

The UniPID Annual Seminar 2026 builds on UniPID’s longstanding commitment to fostering equitable, impactful and responsible global academic partnerships. Over the past years, UniPID has actively engaged with themes such as responsible hosting of Global South scholars, ethical co-authorship, and responsible funding mechanisms.

This year's theme, Responsible Project Management, reflects a continuation of these efforts. It responds to the growing recognition that project management practices are becoming more and more closely part of the work at the HEIs, as external funding is increasingly applied for new initiatives. Hence, global academic partnerships, particularly those involving North-South collaboration, must be guided by strong ethical principles.

At the same time, it is required that institutions (re)think, how projects are designed, implemented, evaluated and developed. The aim of the seminar is to provide a platform to critically examine and practically advance responsible, yet tangible approaches to project management across the project cycle.

Programme and invited speakers

Opening words, Mari Ikonen, Director for International Affairs, University of Eastern Finland

Keynote: Dr. Divinia Jithoo, Director for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Cape Peninsula University, South Africa

Panel discussion with
Sifeddine Labed, Research Director, Renewable Energy Development Center, Algiers, Algeria
Apoorwa Hooda, Researcher, Teacher, India coordination, University of Jyväskylä
Sai Väyrynen, University lecturer, former lead of the GINTL network, University of Helsinki
Sari Havu-Nuutinen, Professor, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland
Dipjoy Chakma, Project planner, Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI), University of Helsinki

Q&A

Closing the seminar

For further information, please contact Meeri Tiensuu, [email protected].

Finnish University Partnership for International Development - UniPID - is a network of Finnish universities that supports interdisciplinary studies and research, as well as societal impact and partnerships of universities related to global sustainable development.