Led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Celestino Obua, a delegation of nine staff of Mbarara University of Science and Technology participated in the first African international week of African Universities hosted by Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) at Herklion Campus in Crete, Greece.
The five-day event from 1st to 5th April 2024 provided a platform to engage with 12 institutions from Europe and Africa. The international week aimed at boosting global academic connections, enhancing research, and encouraging cultural exchange. The initiative presented strategic opportunities to foster collaborations and partnerships for a globally interconnected future.
Other members of the MUST team were; Dr. Casim Umba Tolo – a Senior Lecturer from the Faculty of Science, Dr. Tom Ogwang – a lecturer from the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, from the Faculty of Medicine; Dr. Fortunate Atwiine – a senior lecturer, Ms. Harriet Nabulo – Lecturer, Mr. Raymond Tumwesigye- lecturer, Ms. Josephine Najjuma the Simulation for Life Coordinator, Ms. Sharon Kashemeire the Senior Secretary of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Sheila Niinye Twinamatsiko the International Relations Officer.
The organising chair Prof. Konstantinos Petridis the Vice-Rector of internationalisation and coordinator of extroversion academic coordinator led the week’s events focusing on the synergies to be leveraged on going forward. The programme encompassed various activities from presentations, workshops, tours, and dinners. A presentation about highlights of international collaborations at HMU was made, departments that discussed their potential areas of networking were; accounting and finance, management sciences and technology, nursing, agriculture, and engineering
Other sessions included sharing experiences for cooperation between Mediterranean European and North African Universities, discussion of ideas and framework for joint African – European call and projects, understanding the Mediterranean/Cretan diet- an evidence-based therapeutic nutrition tool, internationalizing a global south University the case of MUST and; University networking presentations of different institutions.
Two interactive workshops conducted were; new technologies in the agriculture and food industry and, how to write, coordinate, and report a capacity-building grant. Other activities done were the campus tour, forum dinner in Heraklion city, visit to Knossos which is a Bronze Age archaeological site, and; Athens the capital of Greece known as the birthplace of democracy.
While in Greece, one of the MUST highlights was signing an institutional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mzumbe University, Tanzania. This provides an opportunity to connect with an East African University to foster regional development.
How the MUST- HMU partnership started
The Department of Nursing under the Faculty of Medicine at MUST has been in collaboration with HMU. Working closely with Dr. George Kritsotakis, Dr. Fortunate Atwiine supported Erasmus + student exchange programmes funded by the European Union. Dr. Kritsotakis has visited MUST twice in the past giving guest lectures, visiting Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and attending networking events. The three students that have so far benefited from the semester abroad opportunity are; Mr. Tumwesigye Raymond in 2019, Mr. Tom Obong, and Mr. Katushabe Gloria in 2024 undertaking Master of Master of Nursing Science in Critical Care.
The MUST- HMU partnership avails greater opportunities not only for the Nursing Department but for different Faculties. Reach out and seize the opportunity to network with Hellenic Mediterranean University, a member of the 10 member institutions ATHENA European University.
Institutions that participated in the international week at HMU
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology Uganda
- Mzumbe University Tanzania
- Ardhi University Tanzania
- University of Nigeria Nigeria
- Hellenic Mediterranean University Greece
- University of Siegen Germany
- Sklodowska University Poland
- University of Orleans France
- University of Maribor Slovenia
- Polytechnic Institute of Porto Portugal
- Cybeletech cie Greece
- Cretan Exporters Association Greece
About Greece
With a population of 10.43m, Greece is a world-sought-after tourist destination with great weather, food, and historical sites. Renowned for its great philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras among others, Greece still boasts of great institutions, and the education system is funded by the government from kindergarten to University. It is globally known for its healthy Mediterranean diet filled with olive oil and vegetables. The visit was spot on as it generated tangible outputs in building capacity in training and opening more doors for partnerships.
Succeed we must!