Reimagining Development Cooperation
How can higher education remain relevant in a changing world —
and what does this mean for the way we engage globally?
Our world is changing rapidly. This raises important questions about the role of higher education, the relevance of global partnerships, and the ways in which we engage with partners and communities around the world.
Campus Diepenbeek
Building D, Agoralaan
3590 Diepenbeek
Tuesday 13/10: 5 PM - 8:30 PM
Two separate events are organised, both held in English.
1. Course: Re-imagining Development Cooperation and the Role of Higher Education Institutions
Monday 12 October 2026 | 10 AM – 4.00 PM
Campus Diepenbeek – Room C 20 (morning) and room B103 (afternoon).
Development cooperation is undergoing significant change, driven by shrinking aid budgets, geopolitical shifts and evolving approaches to international solidarity. This one-day training explores what these developments mean for higher education institutions, particularly regarding internationalisation and partnerships with the Global South. Through expert input and interactive reflection, participants will engage with current debates and consider how their institutions and professional practice can respond to a changing global landscape.
10:00 – 12:15 | Session 1 – Re-imagining Development Cooperation
From 75+ years of development cooperation to today’s changing landscape: crisis or game changer? We examine future pathways and implications for higher education.
13:00 – 15:15 | Session 2 – International Solidarity starts at home?
A look at public support for international solidarity, reduced engagement investment, and how development and global inequality are framed through education and partnerships.
15:15 – 16:00 | Closing session: Collective Soul-Searching
Target audience: Anyone with professional experience or an interest in Global Partnerships and internationalisation, with a particular focus on lecturers.
2. Lecture: I’m Going Abroad and I’m Bringing…
On Citizen Engagement for Global Solidarity and Why We Definitely Should (Not) Get Involved
Tuesday 13 October 2026 | 5 PM – 8.30 PM
Campus Diepenbeek – Aula H2
Discover the INT³ student projects, stories and critical reflection on international civic engagement. The evening will start with presentations by students from the past year's INT³ projects in DR Congo, Tanzania and South Africa. They will showcase the work they developed together with students, researchers and communities from partner countries, and share what they learned, what challenged them and what the experience meant to them. The evening will then continue with an engaging talk by Prof. Kinsbergen.
During this talk, we will reflect on the (un)importance of citizen engagement for global solidarity. With public support for international solidarity under pressure, informing and engaging (young) people may be more important than ever. But when it comes to international solidarity, is something always better than nothing? The talk invites us to some collective soul-searching: how do we want to give expression to international solidarity today, and what does it take to bring others along?
Target audience: open to the wider community