Foreword
As an alumnus of Western Sydney University (WSU), I am honoured to have been invited to write the foreword to this important publication, Sur-Sur Southern knowledges: Education, sustainability and social transformation. My career in Australia’s diplomatic and trade service, spanning more than three decades and including significant time in the Global South, has shown me the immense value of dialogue and cooperation between nations.
This book is a product of the strong and evolving relationship between Western Sydney University and its Chilean partners, the Universidad de Concepción, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and the Centre for Advanced Studies in Education (CIAE), Universidad de Chile. Over more than a decade, these institutions have worked closely together, and each editor of this volume has contributed significantly to making it a reality. Published by Western Sydney University’s “Open Books”, this work is yet another investment in these partnerships and reaffirms the importance of the collaboration that has emerged from it.
In today’s increasingly complex international landscape, learning from one another is more vital than ever. Historically, international development and education exchanges have too often been perceived as flowing in one direction—from the Global North to the South—overlooking the rich and adaptive strategies found within societies of the Global South.
While governments play a key role in building ties between nations, many enduring bonds are created by academics, diaspora communities, and members of civil society. Sur-Sur Southern knowledges: Education, sustainability and social transformation showcases the dedication of both its editors and contributors to sharing knowledge and strengthening people-to-people links. It makes an important contribution to collaboration between countries that, despite being geographically remote and culturally distinct, share more in common than might first appear.
The contributions in this book address the crucial intersection of education and sustainability. They engage with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Education 2030 Agenda, offering a critical and nuanced perspective. The authors emphasise that global frameworks must be adaptable to local realities, with communities needing educational and developmental models that respect their unique histories, ecologies, and social contexts.
By amplifying Indigenous, feminist, and ecological viewpoints, Sur-Sur Southern knowledges provides a roadmap for navigating current environmental and political crises. It moves beyond theory, exploring how education can build regenerative, resilient communities and encouraging us to become better global citizens through respectful, reciprocal learning rather than cultural homogenisation.
Drawing on my experiences in Latin America and Southeast Asia, I have observed that challenges such as climate adaptation, social cohesion, and educational equity transcend borders.
Government priorities for international engagement are influenced by a range of political, economic, and geostrategic factors, often resulting in underdeveloped relationships with many countries in the Global South. This has long been true of Australia’s connections with Latin America.
The relationship between Australia and Chile is an exception. Both are medium-sized countries engaged in the Asia Pacific, sharing common interests and challenges. We collaborate in regional institutions such as APEC and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), as well as in South Pacific and Antarctic forums. Both nations are well-positioned to contribute to global responses to climate change through our substantial renewable energy and critical mineral resources.
Western Sydney University’s engagement with Latin American partners is a source of pride and is characterised by commitment, follow-through and substance. The editorial team possesses a broad range of transdisciplinary expertise: Reflecting their own research trajectories and expertise, Professor Susanne Gannon and Professor Loshini Naidoo focus on teacher education, gender, and equity; Associate Professor Christine Woodrow brings her research-informed insights into early childhood education policy and practice; and Professor Juan Salazar’s work in environmental humanities encourages innovative ecological thinking about cultural systems.
Chilean expertise is equally represented: Dr Claudio Díaz from Universidad de Concepción brings his knowledge of language and learning methodologies, and Professor Verónica López from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso brings a critical psychological perspective on inclusion. This partnership bridges the Pacific, demonstrating that physical distance does not prevent close academic and interpersonal connections. Despite the breadth of subject matter addressed, the editors have ensured cohesiveness across the chapters, resulting in a publication rich in ideas and challenges, with appeal to a wide audience.
I commend this publication to scholars, policymakers, and students. The insights it offers remind us that, in a fractured world, our greatest resource is our willingness to listen to and learn from neighbours, both near and far.
Todd Mercer
Former Australian Ambassador to Chile and Ecuador (2020–2024) and Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam (2012–2016)