Institutional policies and ecosystems profoundly shape the formation and nature of research partnerships. When you are in a research project though, it is easy to feel powerless to these systemic forces and think that you might not be able to ‘do things differently’. 

It is not the intent that, after completing this course, you will be able to change institutional policies or practices. Many of our stories happened because of talking more, and talking more openly and honestly, about how institutions impact on power dynamics in partnerships. It is through coming together in these partnerships that small, but hugely significant, nudges of change can be made towards fairing working in research happen.     

After completing this course and visiting the gallery, we hope you are inspired to start conversations with your colleagues, partners and institutions about how far your research is equitable and how you can make it so. 

This image comes from the Decolonising Education for Peace in Africa (DEPA) Algerian project. You will learn more about that research in the gallery but this image serves here as a poignant illustration that any collaboration must start with a conversation.