RUIICAY-HIOA Intercultural Communication Linkage Programme

Project title: RUIICAY-HIOA Intercultural Communication Linkage Programme

Background

Indigenous, afrodescendant and mestizo peoples in Latin America have historically been marginalized and deprived from their basic human rights by the dominant societies.

The media establishment and the social communication processes have tended to portray negative public images of indigenous, afrodescendant and mestizo peoples to validate or justify exclusion and racism. Nicaragua, Ecuador and Colombia represents different arrays of how exclusion and racism have taken different forms.

In this context, the Network of Indigenous, Intercultural and Community Universities (RUIICAY) produces a platform for indigenous, afrodescendant and mestizo peoples and communities in the struggle for overcoming poverty, social exclusion, discrimination and racism.

Universities for development

The project goal is to develop institutional capacities at universities of the RUIICAY network in fulfilling their social and communitarian responsibilities as generators of autonomous knowledge, research and intercultural communication education.

By strengthening competences in intercultural communication at the partner universities, the project wishes to contribute to the development of a respected, independent media, journalism and communication education reflecting indigenous, afrodescendants and mestizo peoples struggle for sustainable human development in their countries and Latin America in general.

The project builds on the URACCAN-HIOA NOMA’s Master Programme in Intercultural Communication and Media Studies experience and the RUIICAY south- south academic cooperation platform towards the establishment of an integral regional education and research programme in intercultural communication.

Innovative teaching and research

The research component of the project is intended to open eyes to possible solutions to indigenous, adrodescendants and mestizo people’s development problems from an intercultural communication or journalist perspective. Joint research teams and research projects will be defined under relevant umbrella themes such as cultural identity, gender equality, environment and climate change, transparency and democratic governance, human and autonomic rights, among others.

As the partners are communitarian intercultural universities, the research agenda will follow a participatory and inclusive approach, including relevant community stakeholders.

A joint master programme in community and intercultural teaching and research will be implemented with exchange of students and staff, in order to connect, share and develop experiences. Virtual education platforms will be developed in the project.

Nicaragua, Ecuador and Colombia are countries with relatively high gender inequality, and particularly high inequality levels for indigenous and afrodescendant women. The promotion of gender equality as an integral component will be central throughout the project. 

Key goals and achievements

Overall goal

To strengthen the autonomy of indigenous, afrodescendants and other vulnerable ethnic peoples for effectively exercising rights and promoting inclusive, equitable and intercultural development in Latin America.  

The objectives of the project are

1. To contribute to the consolidation of a high quality teaching and research intercultural communication programme at UAIIN, UCINPI-AW and URACCAN
2. To position RUIICAY as an important space for knowledge generation and dialogue in intercultural communication in the international academic world

   Foto: Photographer: URACAAN/Cecilia Moreta Bildetekst: Spiritual ceremony in Ecuador. First cohort of students, Master Degree Programme in Intercultural Communication. Countries: (tag) Nicaragua, Ecuador, Colombia