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News, open calls and recent updates from PolyCIVIS!

Stay informed for the recent updates, and seize opportunities to get involved. Below you will find the most recent calls for contributions from the PolyCIVIS Research, Policy and Teaching Work Packages.

What drive migrants into clandestinity leading them into radically different and extreme living conditions? 

University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou - Burkina Faso, is organizing “Multidimensional Analysis of Illegal Immigration: Understanding, Preventing, and Integrating”, an in-depth international conference exploring the complex realities of clandestine migration and the challenges faced by migrants navigating unauthorized mobility across borders.

This conference will focus on the pressing issue of clandestine migration, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, and will address critical themes, particularly: 

  • the impact of restrictive migration policies,
  • the human rights and the health challenges of migrants, 
  • the social and economic consequences of migration for both African countries of origin and European destinations.

Panel Discussions

19 November 2024

Panel 1: Institutional approach to migration: Moderators: Dr Mahamoudou ZONGO and Dr Zakaria SORE

Panel 2: Migration policies, rights and health: Moderators: Pr André Kamba SOUBEIGA and Pr Claudine Valérie ROUAMBA

20 November 2024

Panel 3: The causes of immigration: Moderators: Pr Ramané KABORE et Pr Issa SOME (with the contribution of PolyCIVIS’ representation)

Panel 4: Persistence of migratory flows and tragedies: Moderators: Pr Augustin PALE and Dr Siaka OUATTARA

21 November 2024

Panel 5: Perceptions of current migratory flows: Moderators: Pr Alkassoum MAIGA and Dr Alexis KABORE

The full programme is available in French and can be found here

By addressing these critical issues, the conference aims to foster a deeper understanding of the African migration experience and its implications for Europe, encouraging dialogue and cooperation between the two continents to find sustainable solutions.

PolyCIVIS’ participation 

In this context, PolyCIVIS is invited to contribute to Panel 3 on Wednesday 20th November entitled Causes de l’immigration clandestine (The causes of illegal immigration), moderated by Pr Ramané KABORE et Pr Issa SOME. PolyCIVIS will be represented by ULB and other PolyCIVIS members (more details TBA). 

Online Participation 

As the conference will be hybrid, participants and presenters will join both in person and online. PolyCIVIS will have two online contributions. 

There is no conference free, and there’s no prior registration required to register. To attend the event, please use the following link (for all the three days of the conference):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85215485485?pwd=ZXiyLRbr9VrHWDbRpMDS4TNPikJQMI.1 

ID de réunion: 852 1548 5485

Code secret: 856307

Join this collective reflection on how migrants survive, adapt, and resist marginalization. 

 

Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis

We are thrilled to announce that more than 90 students from both Europe and Africa have already enrolled in the Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)!

This achievement highlights the strong interest in exploring critical issues at the intersection of trade, investment, and the polycrisis.

Designed by PLUS University and Makerere University, this programme offers a unique opportunity for students across the two contintents to exchange and gain hands-on experience in negotiating agreements aimed at tackling the polycrisis, drawing on theoretical knowledge of EU-African Trade and Investment Agreements.

About the BIP

This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) includes a physical mobility and a virtual part, providing an immersive and flexible experienceIt is open to students currently studying at Bachelor's, Master's and PhD level, interested on the topic of polycrisis. 

Course dates: 6 March - 27 June 2025

CIVIS Focus Area: Cities, territories and mobilities

Amid the complex challenges of our time, Lara Leik’s reflection from the PolyCIVIS Public Session during CIVIS Days 2024 offers a hopeful perspective. Don’t miss her insightful take on how we can turn today’s obstacles into tomorrow’s opportunities for change.

 

Since the project was launched, a lot of work has been done and many activities are in development. 

PolyCIVIS’s participation in CIVIS Days 2024 brought valuable opportunities for an insightful dialogue between European and African experts. Through our public event, we explored approaches to addressing global crises. Below are key insights and takeaways from our engagement during the event.

Learn More

"Facing Polycrisis in Europe and Africa" 

A crucial hybrid panel discussion on the pressing topic of polycrisis took place during CIVIS Days 2024 in Salzburg.

This event is linked to the  PolyCIVIS network, a collaboration between the CIVIS Alliance members and 4 additional African universities.

Watch the recorded roundtable discussion

PolyCIVIS’s 21 universities collaborated in this event bringing together experts from a range of disciplines to reflect together on future strategies, joint actions and consequences of polycrisis. 

Speakers:
Prof. Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, Faculty of Economics and Public Policies, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
Prof. Mucha Musemwa, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand
Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal & Professor of Economics, Makerere University
Prof. Gudrun Zagel, Faculty of Law, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg
Prof. Anne Weyembergh, PolyCIVIS Project Director, Université libre de Bruxelles (moderator)

Themes:
Defining and understanding polycrisis
Exploring polycrisis’ interconnected global risks and cascading effects
Social impacts and inequalities
Changing the narrative: solutions and resilience

The event was attended by:
This timely event was succesfully attended by researchers, academics, students, policymakers, and other key stakeholders interested in polycrisis, from Africa, Europe and beyond. 

Understanding crises through a PolyCIVIS lens: bridging continents and modeling joint teaching programmes across Africa and Europe

On September 25th, a group of academics and students gathered during CIVIS Days for an insightful discussion led by Makerere University (Uganda) and Paris Lodron University Salzburg (Austria). The focus? How to create innovative teaching programs to address the growing challenges of interconnected global crises like climate change, economic instability, and social inequality.

Drawing on the Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis Blended Intensive Program (BIP) which is scheduled to last between 6 March - 27 June 2025, the session explored ways to expand this interdisciplinary approach to teaching. Participants discussed how universities can leverage existing courses, integrate research-driven teaching, and strengthen the link between academia and the research, policy, and civic communities to build comprehensive programs that empower students to actively engage in better understanding global crises.

What made the session stand out was the direct involvement of CIVIS Global Student Council students, whose feedback and experience on previous BIPs shaped much of the discussion. Their insights, paired with contributions from the rest of the participants, pointed to a future where education becomes a collaborative effort between academics and students, designed to address real-world issues.

This session was more than just an exchange of ideas between academics and students; it fostered a transformative perspective on how partnerships can lead to innovative teaching models tailored to address today's global challenges.

 

This web dossier presents a collection of interviews conducted with academics from the PolyCIVIS network and beyond, shedding light on their teaching methodologies, experiences, and insights.

We invite you to explore these interviews and gain deeper insights into the transformative potential of education within the PolyCIVIS alliance.

How can we create innovative teaching programs to tackle the polycrisis?

On Wednesday, 25 September, from 11:00 to 13:00 CEST, academics from the PolyCIVIS network came together to explore this critical question in an internal hybrid working session led by the teaching work package (WP4), co-led by Makerere University (MAK), Kampala, Uganda, and Paris Lodron University Salzburg (PLUS), Austria.

With contributions from the research and policy work packages (WP2 and WP3), this session focused on leveraging existing courses and lessons from previous Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs) to develop a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum on polycrisis. The discussion also covered strategies for engaging students and forging external partnerships to enhance the quality of joint programs. Students from member universities also participated in the session, offering feedback and sharing ideas for future courses, exchanges and meetings.

PolyCIVIS’ consortium members held the project’s third annual meeting virtually on May 22, 2024. Building consensus, creating common understanding and securing consistency throughout the network are the key outcomes of this meeting, which served as an opportunity for the consortium partners to delve into various topics, covering everything from internal planning to dissemination activities and more in depth collaboration within our network members.

Read the full article here

PolyCIVIS' vibrant community is making waves at top national and international events!

This article highlights the impactful participation of PolyCIVIS members in various external events.

Read the full article here.

We recommend some special events for you – all focused on creating impact through the different roles we all have, as academics, researchers, students, and changemakers- which aim to make a positive contribution to a sustainable future.

Learn more.

"One World, Many Crises: Politics, Law and Beyond" is an international conference held by NKUA (March 2024) calling for greater action and noting that concrete policy responses are needed for a sustainable future. Professor Emmanuella Doussis wrote an article to reflect on the topics raised during the conference.

Read the full article from here.

This is an article by Prof. Ali Bougatef and Prof. Mohamed Makni from the Food Department at the Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, explaining the effective measures for addressing the food crisis in Africa.

Read the article from here

In an era marked by multifaceted challenges, from economic instability to climate change and global pandemics, the art of policy making has never been more crucial. To shed light on this complex landscape, we had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Malte Borsig from the University of Witwatersrand. With his expertise in international relations and governance, Professor Borsig shared invaluable insights unraveling the complexity and interconnection of polycrises and their implications for policy formulation.

Explore the complete interview by clicking here!

Attention PolyCIVIS's community! Get ready to mark your calendars, as the third Consortium Council is just around the corner, scheduled for the 22nd May in an online format.

This pivotal gathering coordinated by Université libre de Bruxelles, serves as the platform where we unveil the latest updates and insights emerging from our diverse work packages. While this is an internal meeting, we are committed to sharing updates and future activities with our extended network. Stay tuned for a wealth of information and be sure not to miss out on this essential event.

Call for Inputs

This call is now closed.

Deadline: 26 April 2024

On its mission to design teaching programs focused on addressing the complexities of the polycrisis, the Teaching WP is calling all academics and scholars to share their knowledge about existing modules and courses currently offered by educational institutions within the PolyCIVIS network and beyond. 
We are specifically interested in existing courses and modules that address any specific crisis, from a single disciplinary approach, or an interdisciplinary one. 
Here's how you can contribute:
  • You can provide information about relevant courses and modules taught in your environment (faculties, universities, or other educational institutions.), and/ or 
  • Share your ideas and help us design a new series of  joint teaching programs in the scope of PolyCIVIS’ agenda.
All the information can be found here
You can access the questionnaire using this online form, or if you already have the word document provided by the Teaching WP4, you can download it and send it to Kanifa Kamatara (Makerere University), at kanifa.kamatara@mak.ac.ug.

Call for Papers

This call is now closed.

Deadline: 22 April 2024

The PolyCIVIS Policy WP is launching the Policy Brief Series to generate concise and actionable guidance to policymakers in national governments, the European Union, African governments, and regional institutions.

The call for contributions addresses all 21 member universities in Africa and Europe, and aims to gather cohesive yet comprehensive perspectives from diverse disciplines and fields of expertise, including but not limited to: International Relations, Law, Epidemiology, Economics, Climate Sciences, Medicine, History, Network Science, Language Studies.

External experts interested in this call can also contact Policy WP leads as there are co-writing opportunities available between our network members and external experts.

These briefs will serve as resources for navigating the complexities of the polycrisis and formulating effective strategies to promote resilience to current and future global challenges.

If you are a scholar, practitioner, or policymaker and you ‘d like to share with us an original research article, a case study, or an analytical essay, please see the submission guidelines here.

 

Call for Contributions

This call is now closed.

Deadline: 30 April 2024.

In the context of Research WP2, we invite contributions for articles, ongoing research, publications and relevant contacts of academics, policy makers and researchers. As part of the creation of a cartography on polycrisis, we are welcoming academic as well as policy and practice-based submissions. Thus, contributions from policy-makers, policy experts, intermediary organisations, advanced students and academics from both Africa and Europe are highly appreciated! 
If you have any publications to recommend on polycrisis, multiple crisis or similar notions, if you would like to suggest data analysis, or you are aware of a policymaker, academic, or researcher whose focus is on these topics, please fill out this online form.  
We look forward to your contributions!