Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries
Background Decolonisation has become a global health priority, addressing inequities rooted in colonial histories that continue to shape power dynamics and knowledge systems. Nordic global health programmes bring together students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in a region defined by inclusive...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Global Health Action |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2025.2512624 |
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| author | Jennifer J. Infanti Jessica Omija Korpela Chloe Maria Stephenson Astrid Blystad Jane Brandt Sørensen Jónína Einarsdóttir Mekdes Kebede Gebremariam Geir Gunnlaugsson Tobias Herder Meri Koivusalo Jesper Löve Karima Lundin Mikko Perkiö Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil Klas-Göran Sahlen Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland Jon Petter Stoor Salla Atkins |
| author_facet | Jennifer J. Infanti Jessica Omija Korpela Chloe Maria Stephenson Astrid Blystad Jane Brandt Sørensen Jónína Einarsdóttir Mekdes Kebede Gebremariam Geir Gunnlaugsson Tobias Herder Meri Koivusalo Jesper Löve Karima Lundin Mikko Perkiö Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil Klas-Göran Sahlen Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland Jon Petter Stoor Salla Atkins |
| author_sort | Jennifer J. Infanti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Decolonisation has become a global health priority, addressing inequities rooted in colonial histories that continue to shape power dynamics and knowledge systems. Nordic global health programmes bring together students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in a region defined by inclusive ideals but shaped by underexamined colonial legacies. This context offers a valuable setting to examine how decolonial perspectives are integrated or overlooked in global health education. Objective To explore students’ perspectives on decolonisation in global health education, focusing on their understanding, experiences, and views on potential pedagogical change. Methods A qualitative study involving 72 students from Nordic countries and other world regions, enrolled in global health programmes at 11 academic institutions across five Nordic countries. Fourteen focus group discussions were conducted, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis principles. Results Students shared nuanced understandings of systemic power imbalances in global health practice and education and expressed the need for structural changes. They identified gaps in curricula and pedagogy, including limited integration of decolonial perspectives and inequities in knowledge production. Students called for more inclusive and culturally relevant curricula that reflect diverse contexts. They emphasised student agency in shaping education while acknowledging barriers such as institutional biases and inconsistent faculty engagement. Conclusions Decolonising Nordic global health education is a long-term process requiring sustained institutional commitment. Student-informed strategies include embedding reflexivity into curricula, engaging with Nordic colonial histories, and designing reciprocal international learning arrangements. While context-specific, these findings may inform broader efforts to decolonise global health educational practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d26fa0a41f141e1a7a1218a2fd8ca14 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d26fa0a41f141e1a7a1218a2fd8ca142025-08-20T03:31:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802025-12-0118110.1080/16549716.2025.25126242512624Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countriesJennifer J. Infanti0Jessica Omija Korpela1Chloe Maria Stephenson2Astrid Blystad3Jane Brandt Sørensen4Jónína Einarsdóttir5Mekdes Kebede Gebremariam6Geir Gunnlaugsson7Tobias Herder8Meri Koivusalo9Jesper Löve10Karima Lundin11Mikko Perkiö12Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil13Klas-Göran Sahlen14Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland15Jon Petter Stoor16Salla Atkins17NTNU–Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyTampere UniversityTampere UniversityUniversity of BergenUniversity of CopenhagenUniversity of IcelandUniversity of OsloUniversity of IcelandLund UniversityTampere UniversityUniversity of GothenburgDepartment of Global Public HealthTampere UniversityUppsala UniversityUmeå UniversityUniversity of BergenUmeå UniversityTampere UniversityBackground Decolonisation has become a global health priority, addressing inequities rooted in colonial histories that continue to shape power dynamics and knowledge systems. Nordic global health programmes bring together students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in a region defined by inclusive ideals but shaped by underexamined colonial legacies. This context offers a valuable setting to examine how decolonial perspectives are integrated or overlooked in global health education. Objective To explore students’ perspectives on decolonisation in global health education, focusing on their understanding, experiences, and views on potential pedagogical change. Methods A qualitative study involving 72 students from Nordic countries and other world regions, enrolled in global health programmes at 11 academic institutions across five Nordic countries. Fourteen focus group discussions were conducted, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis principles. Results Students shared nuanced understandings of systemic power imbalances in global health practice and education and expressed the need for structural changes. They identified gaps in curricula and pedagogy, including limited integration of decolonial perspectives and inequities in knowledge production. Students called for more inclusive and culturally relevant curricula that reflect diverse contexts. They emphasised student agency in shaping education while acknowledging barriers such as institutional biases and inconsistent faculty engagement. Conclusions Decolonising Nordic global health education is a long-term process requiring sustained institutional commitment. Student-informed strategies include embedding reflexivity into curricula, engaging with Nordic colonial histories, and designing reciprocal international learning arrangements. While context-specific, these findings may inform broader efforts to decolonise global health educational practices.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2025.2512624curricula reformpedagogical reformpower dynamicsstudent perspectivesglobal health equity |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer J. Infanti Jessica Omija Korpela Chloe Maria Stephenson Astrid Blystad Jane Brandt Sørensen Jónína Einarsdóttir Mekdes Kebede Gebremariam Geir Gunnlaugsson Tobias Herder Meri Koivusalo Jesper Löve Karima Lundin Mikko Perkiö Soorej Jose Puthoopparambil Klas-Göran Sahlen Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland Jon Petter Stoor Salla Atkins Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries Global Health Action curricula reform pedagogical reform power dynamics student perspectives global health equity |
| title | Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries |
| title_full | Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries |
| title_fullStr | Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries |
| title_short | Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries |
| title_sort | student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education a qualitative study across five nordic countries |
| topic | curricula reform pedagogical reform power dynamics student perspectives global health equity |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2025.2512624 |
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