USOS facilitates and strengthens collaborative partnerships between the University of Antwerp and academic institutions in the Global South. These partnerships are founded on the principles of equity and reciprocity. Based on trust and mutual understanding, they lead to student and staff exchanges.
Through the core academic missions of education, research, and community engagement, USOS aims to contribute to the pursuit of social justice.
The partners engage in an annual multilateral consultation meeting.
DR Congo
USOS supports an annual Research Design course. This intensive training programme in research methods and research skills is designed for promising researchers from across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). It is organized by the Centre of Expertise for Mining Management (CEGEMI), based at our partner institution, the Université Catholique de Bukavu.
Nicaragua
Until 2023, USOS collaborated with the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) and its affiliated research NGO, Nitlapan, which worked to strengthen the resilience of agricultural communities. Since the Nicaraguan regime took over the university, USOS has continued to support, through informal channels, those who are preserving and carrying forward Nitlapan's legacy.
Morocco
USOS supports the collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UAntwerpen, and the Faculty of Sciences at the Université Mohammed Premier (UMP) in Oujda. The collaboration aims to improve care for diabetes patients in Oujda. The collaboration is currently being extended to other faculties, both in Antwerp and Oujda.
India
USOS supports collaborations between the Faculty of Law and three Indian institutions, namely Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) in Ranchi, St Xavier's College in Ranchi and the National Law University (NLU) in Delhi. The collaborations result in the exchange of students and staff in the form of exposures, internships and participation in summer schools.
Suriname
In 2023, USOS joined the collaboration between the Faculty of Design Sciences at the University of Antwerp and the Anton de Kom University of Suriname in Paramaribo, which has been ongoing since 2005. The partnership strengthens knowledge exchange between the two institutions, notably through participatory action research programmes conducted under the guidance of the Interdisciplinary Studio for Territories in Transition (ISTT).
Brazil
In 2023, USOS joined the collaboration between the Faculty of Design Sciences at the University of Antwerp and the Universidade Católica de Pernambuco in Recife, which has been ongoing since 2018. The partnership strengthens knowledge exchange between the two institutions, notably through participatory action research programmes conducted under the guidance of the Interdisciplinary Studio for Territories in Transition (ISTT).