What if universities stopped exporting knowledge

For decades, international education has often followed a familiar pattern: universities from wealthier nations develop courses and expertise, then share them with partners around the world. But what if that model has it backwards?

That question sits at the heart of a project led by Dr Carolina Redolfi at Oxford Brookes University, which is working with traditional and Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon to rethink how knowledge is created and shared.

Supported by the British Council, the initiative is not about delivering ready-made teaching materials. Instead, researchers and local partners are co-designing digital communication training that enables communities to tell their own stories about sustainability, climate change and economic futures.

The approach recognises that the people living in the Amazon are not simply witnesses to environmental change – they are experts in it. Their understanding of local ecosystems and sustainable ways of living has been built over generations, yet these perspectives are often overlooked in mainstream academic and political discussions.

Rather than treating communities as research subjects, the project aims to build genuine partnerships based on reciprocity. That means listening before designing solutions, adapting educational approaches to local cultures and communication styles, and ensuring that communities gain practical benefits from participating.

Digital communication is a key part of the work. By developing skills in storytelling and online engagement, communities can share their experiences directly with wider audiences and policymakers instead of relying on others to represent them.

For Carolina, the project also raises bigger questions about the future role of universities. If institutions are serious about addressing global challenges such as climate change, they must recognise that valuable knowledge exists far beyond lecture theatres and laboratories.

The message is both simple and profound: collaboration works best when expertise flows in every direction. Sometimes, the most meaningful contribution researchers can make is not to provide answers, but to create space for others to be heard.