International Collaboration in Times of Crisis

International collaboration is not a luxury for UAntwerp - it is a decades-long tradition. The Institute of Development Policy (IOB) has long served as a bridge in these partnerships, yet recent cuts in development subsidies threaten this tradition. Two IOB researchers, from Congo and Nicaragua, share how long-term partnerships connect researchers and students to their home countries, even under political or conflict-related pressure. The University Foundation for Development Cooperation (USOS), celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, remains a central platform for such collaborations.

Research in Turbulent Waters

For Maria José Cordero Fernández, the 30-year partnership between her home university, the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Nicaragua, the IOB, and USOS was crucial. “USOS funded internships for young researchers at the Institute for Development and Agricultural Policy (NITLAPAN) in Nicaragua. That gave me the opportunity to gain research experience in Environmental Sciences and later pursue an Erasmus Mundus master’s in Europe,” she recalls.

Divin-Luc Bikubanya similarly highlights the importance of networks in complex environments. “Eastern Congo has abundant natural resources but also conflict and abuse of power. I wanted to study this, so I joined the Centre d’Expertise en Gestion Minière (CEGEMI) at the Université Catholique de Bukavu. My research center had a decade-long collaboration with IOB, which allowed me to come to Belgium for broader studies on mining governance.”

Resiliance vs resistance 

Both prefer the term resisting over resilience. Cordero Fernández: “Resisting is more active. We push back against pressure and repression. Collaboration is one way to do that.” Bikubanya agrees: “In conflict zones, it’s also about access and protection. Partnerships give you the resources and networks to conduct research safely and tackle challenges together.”

The practical impact is evident. Cordero Fernández recounts: “When our university was closed, colleagues in Antwerp organized a crowdfunding campaign for researchers who lost their jobs and final salaries. That’s solidarity in action.” Bikubanya adds: “During floods in South Kivu two years ago, USOS provided financial support to affected students. Collaboration extends beyond academia—it’s also social support.”

Mutual Learning

For both researchers, international collaboration is not only about resources but about mutual learning. Cordero Fernández: “We need to stop thinking in binary terms: North versus South. My research works with farmers in both Flanders and Peru; the experiences enrich each other.” Bikubanya: “We see the same in student exchanges. Flemish students stay with Congolese families, while Congolese students come to Antwerp. That reciprocal learning changes perspectives and careers.”

They also share experience within European networks, having participated in the European Leadership Programme and as Global South fellows. “It’s inspiring to see institutions around the world in dialogue with each other,” says Cordero Fernández. “Co-publications and joint projects give researchers from the Global South visibility and support,” adds Bikubanya. “They help young researchers further develop their ideas.”

The USOS anniversary book, Caring for our Common Home, to which Maria and Bikubanya contributed, marks 40 years of connection between Antwerp and the Global South and reflects the organization’s role in supporting such long-term collaborations.

Funding Under Pressure

Recently, the Flemish government reduced development cooperation subsidies. “If these networks are dismantled, you don’t just lose projects—you lose decades of relationships,” warns Bikubanya. Cordero Fernández adds: “Support is crucial, especially in difficult times. International partnerships ensure local voices are heard and knowledge keeps circulating, despite political pressure. Collaboration is not a luxury. It is a necessary way to share knowledge, show solidarity, and strengthen young researchers.”

“Collaboration can be both a practical and moral compass,” concludes Bikubanya. “It is a form of resistance against cynicism and indifference. We do not leave each other alone, in good times or bad.”