Whose voices shape what we know, learn, and teach?

The Decolonial Initiative brings people across NTNU to explore this question and rethink how universities work.
Through dialogue, learning, collaboration, and experimentation, we explore how diverse perspectives can contribute to more ethical and socially responsible scholarship.
Our aim is to broaden conversations about whose perspectives are represented, how knowledge is produced, and how universities can better engage with global and local communities.

Background

The initiative grew out of a collaboration between two working groups: Protest Pub, which brings the NTNU community together for critical reflection on the university’s role, practices, and future; and Critical PhD Hub, which hosts seminars and discussions exploring research and education through feminist, emancipatory, and other critical perspectives.

Their joint application received support from the NTNU Rector’s Fund for Gender Equality and Diversity for activities in 2026. Although the initiative began with a focus on the curriculum, it quickly expanded to address broader, systemic issues at the university.

Objectives

The initiative seeks to:

• Build a network across NTNU to connect people engaged in decolonisation and related questions.
• Create spaces for critical discussion of assumptions and practices shaping university life.
• Exchange experiences and ideas with peers and groups beyond NTNU.
• Develop concrete proposals for change in research, teaching, institutional, and everyday practices.