Jimena Califa (UN Global Pulse), Andrea Botero (Aalto University) and Florencia Quesada (Helsinki University) reflect on decolonial practices in design, research and education. The panel took place in Aalto University, in Finland. This panel was an initiative of SUR collective, a group of students and researchers striving for decolonial practices and aiming to respond to the hegemonic narratives of the North.
This panel opens a discussion about the issue of decolonizing design education and practices within the Finnish context, with insights from active educators and professionals from the Global South. The central concern revolves around the possibility of integrating decolonial practices into the teaching and designing in Finland. This concern is rooted in the experiences of Latinx students at Aalto University's ARTS school, who have observed a marked absence of Non-Western perspectives, notably in areas such as sustainability. The panel explore the challenges, possibilities, and implications of incorporating decolonial approaches into Finnish university education.