The Berlin Center for Global Engagement has published a new position paper, Beyond Excellence: Recommendations for More Equitable Research Cooperation Cultures. The paper emerged from an extensive participatory workshop with the BCGE Signature Projects co2libri, CritUP and PRODIGY, the BCGE Advisory Board, and the DAAD Global Centers TRAJECTS and G-WAC, bringing together researchers and experts from Berlin and partner institutions in the Global South.

The position paper critically examines how dominant notions of “research excellence” can reinforce inequalities in South–North research cooperation. Building on discussions around research cultures, global asymmetries and the conditions under which high-quality research is produced, it calls for a broader understanding of research quality—one that values reciprocity, co-creation, trust, local relevance, diverse knowledge traditions, academic freedom and shared ownership.

Its key recommendations include linking debates on equitable partnerships with research assessment reform, recognising diverse research outputs beyond journal articles, supporting multilingual, open-access and regional publication systems, making funding structures more flexible and equitable, reducing administrative barriers, investing in long-term trust-building, respecting disciplinary and regional differences, and safeguarding research security and academic freedom.

Download the posiiton paper below.