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Power imbalances and equity in the day-to-day functioning of a north plus multi-south higher education institutions partnership: a case study.
- Source :
- International Journal for Equity in Health; 3/15/2024, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-15, 15p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Background: Partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the global north and south have commonly been used as a vehicle to drive global health research and initiatives. Among these initiatives, include health system strengthening, research capacity building, and human resource training in developing countries. However, the partnership functioning of many global north-south partnerships still carry legacies of colonialism through unrecognized behavior patterns, attitudes, and belief systems in how they function. Even with research literature calling for a shift from equality to equity in the functioning of these partnerships, many still struggle with issues of complex and unspoken power dynamics. To understand the successes and challenges of north-south partnerships, this paper explored partnership development and functioning of a northern and multi-southern HEIs partnership focused on nutrition education and research. Methods: A qualitative research approach was used; data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDIs) with questions developed from the Bergen Model of Collective Functioning (BMCF). Thirteen IDIs were conducted with partners from all institutions including stakeholders. Findings: The partnership was built on the foundation of experiences and lessons of a previous partnership. Partners used these experiences and lessons to devise strategies to improve partnership inputs, communication, leadership, roles and structures, and maintenance and communication tasks. However, these strategies had an impact on partnership functioning giving rise to issues of inequitable power dynamics. The northern partner had two roles: one as an equal partner and another as distributor of project funds; this caused a conflict in roles for this partner. The partners distinguished themselves according to partner resources – two partners were named implementing partners and two named supportive partners. Roles and partner resources were the greatest contributors to power imbalances and caused delays in project activities. Conclusion: Using the BMCF to examine partnership dynamics illuminated that power imbalances caused a hierarchical stance in the partnership with northern partners having overall control and power of decision-making in the partnership. This could impact the effectiveness and sustainability of project in the southern institutions going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- POWER (Social sciences)
INTERPROFESSIONAL relations
QUALITATIVE research
SCHOLARSHIPS
RESEARCH funding
UNIVERSITIES & colleges
EQUALITY
LEADERSHIP
INTERVIEWING
POPULATION geography
EDUCATION research
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
GOVERNMENT aid
COMMUNICATION
ORGANIZATIONAL change
CONCEPTUAL structures
MASTERS programs (Higher education)
STAKEHOLDER analysis
QUALITY assurance
NUTRITION education
MANAGEMENT
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14759276
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- International Journal for Equity in Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 176079821
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02139-x