Dr Noluvo Rangana speaking to President Dr Larry Dietz and Dr Mumbi Mwangi Professor of St Cloud State University in the United States.
As part of her work within the Engagement Office and in relation to the multilateral National Research Foundation (NRF) Grant and the Canadian collaboration, Dr Noluvo Rangana recently had the opportunity to present at St Cloud State University in the United States.
Her presentation, Exploring Partnerships in the Global North, Global South, and Global Peripheries through Epistemic Humility, was a key feature of the University’s 25th-anniversary celebrations of its partnership with St. Cloud State University.
Dr Rangana engaged with colleagues on the importance of epistemic humility in fostering equitable and transformative academic collaborations between institutions in the Global North and Global South.
Epistemic humility is the recognition that we don't know everything and that our knowledge may be limited or imperfect. It's about being open to new ideas, being willing to learn, and acknowledging that we could be wrong.
A central theme of her presentation was the African Calabash philosophy, which embodies epistemic humility through its foundational principles - deeply aligned with Ubuntu (I am because you are) and Harambee (Let us pull together).
This philosophy promotes inclusive and collaborative knowledge-sharing, ensuring that academic partnerships are built on mutual respect, shared learning, and a recognition of diverse knowledge systems.
Dr Rangana emphasised that embracing epistemic humility allows for the convergence of different ways of knowing, dismantling traditional power imbalances and fostering meaningful global engagement.
Her contribution reinforces the University’s commitment to advancing socially responsive scholarship and knowledge exchange on an international scale.
This engagement marks another milestone in the University’s efforts to build strategic, globally impactful collaborations that honour diverse epistemologies and promote equitable academic exchange.