Objective: to share results and experiences with regard to strengthening inclusion in the Finnish-funded HEP higher education partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa. The focus is on teacher education.

Target groups: higher education stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Finland interested and involved in inclusion-related education, research and community outreach activities. Government representatives, local education authorities, HEIs, schools, students etc. 

 Webinar programme

14.30 – 14.45 Opening by EDUFI, the Finnish National Agency for Education, followed by

A student voice on developing barrier-free learning environments in Tanzanian higher

education, learnings from participating in the BERT partnership

Nasri Ali, University of Zanzibar SUZA, Leader of the BERT peer group of students with disabilities

The input will present the process of inclusion of students with disabilities and the student-led activities in the BERT partnership. Nasri Ali will reflect on his individual learning path and the added value that the BERT project has brought to the university. More information about the BERT partnership Breaking Education Barriers: Inclusion, Rehabilitation and Technology: BERT | Jamk University of Applied Sciences

14.45 - 15.00

How can research evidence lead to practical changes in teaching and research processes in Rwandan HEIs?

Dr. Alice Ikuzwe, Deputy Principal in Charge of Academics and Training, Rwanda Polytechnic, Kigali College

The input explains inclusion as a cross-cutting principle in the HEP-TED partnership, focusing on higher education pedagogy. It shows how results from a student self-assessment survey at Rwanda Polytechnic can feed into the process of policy development as well as concrete changes in institutional practices. More information about the HEP-TED partnership: Higher Education Pedagogies for Teacher Education | University of Helsinki

15.00 – 15.15

Building an inclusive learning process around sustainable development in schools in Namibia

Lydia Amakali, Lecturer, Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus, University of Namibia

The FUTE project explores how mini-projects can broaden students understanding of sustainability, e.g towards social sustainability and inclusion. Mini‑projects enable teacher students and children to take meaningful action in their social environments, strengthening agency and participation. The approach also helps teacher students build connections with parents, collaborators, and community partners. More information about the FUTE partnership: FUTE - Future teacher education for sustainable development -

15.15 – 15.30

Developing inclusive practices at school level in Mozambique

Dr. Paula Alexandra dos Santos Pais da Cruz, Faculty of Language Sciences, Communication and Arts, Pedagogical University of Maputo

The input will outline the collaboration between teacher education institutions and primary & secondary schools through Living Labs and around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). What are the take-aways for teacher education? More information about the TIPOTE partnership: Towards inclusive and practice-oriented teacher education - TIPOTE | Jamk University of Applied Sciences

15.30 – 16.00

Questions and answers, discussion, wrap-up

The webinar is also a parallel session on the Education Day in the Nordic-Baltic Rwanda Forum

Speaker information:

I am Nasri Salum Ali, a third-year student at the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), pursuing a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS). As a student with a physical disability, I am actively engaged in advancing disability inclusion and student representation. I previously served for two consecutive terms as Minister for Students with Disabilities and Special Needs in the SUZA Student Government (2023–2024 and 2024–2025) and as Chairperson of the SUZA Students with Disabilities Association. Currently, I lead a student group under the BERT – Breaking Education Barriers: Inclusion, Rehabilitation, and Technology project.

Ms. Lydia Amakali serves as a lecturer at University of Namibia, the Faculty of Education and Human Sciences, within the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care. She is committed to shifting from traditional teaching and learning approaches toward sustainability pedagogy—an approach that nurtures critical thinking and equips learners with sustainable life skills. Her work focuses on fostering collaborative relationships with the community, student teachers, and learners to collectively transform the ways we think, act, and engage with our environment.

Paula Alexandra dos Santos Pais da Cruz is a lecturer in Second and Foreign Language Teaching at the Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo, focusing her research on education, curriculum, language teaching, and assessment. She specializes in portuguese language education and curriculum development, contributing to international teacher education projects.