HCDS at SANORD 2025 – Rethinking Technology through a Decolonial Lens

14 August 2025, by Janis-Marie Paul

Photo: Janis-Marie Paul

Our colleagues Seid Muhie Yimam and Martin Semmann from the Hub of Computing and Data Science (HCDS) represented us at this year’s SANORD Conference at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University.

As part of the “Decolonial technology design” panel, organized by Christian Ulrik Andersen, Rachel Charlotte Smith, Gertraud Koch, and Louis Fendji, our team – together with Rahel Bekele Teklegiorgis and Katrin Schöning-Stierand – presented the contribution:
“Decolonizing AI Toolchains: Innovative Pathways for Equitable Access to Medical Knowledge for Maternal and Child Health Care”.

The talk explored how AI-powered tools in healthcare can be designed to ensure equitable access, local relevance, and cultural inclusivity – rather than replicating solely Western standards.

SANORD 2025 provided an inspiring platform to reflect on the role of universities in a rapidly changing global knowledge economy – with a strong focus on justice, sustainability, and new forms of international collaboration.