_{By Maureen Agena and Agaba Issa Mugabo}

Makerere University (Mak) and the University of Namibia (UNAM), on 13 August, 2024, renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaborative academia and industry research.

The two partnering universities are both members of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), an organization of 170 universities in 40 countries across Africa hosted by the Government of Uganda at Makerere University.

The signing of the MoU was on the sidelines of the second RUFORUM Triennial Conference taking place from 12-16 August, 2024 in Windhoek, Namibia under the theme “Operationalising Higher Agricultural Education and Research Ecosystems for Innovation, Industrialisation, and Economic Development in Africa: A Call for Action.” The Conference is also a landmark celebration for RUFORUM’s 20^th anniversary.

Relatedly, the African Union (AUC) and European Union (EU) have agreed on an EU-Africa strategy within the Global Gateway, which aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments through a team Europe approach, bringing together the EU, its member states and their financial and development institutions. It seeks a transformational impact in the digital, climate and energy, transport, health, and education and research sectors. Part of that investment is an allocation of €978 million for intra-Africa mobility, open to all African universities and accessed on competitive basis.

For Universities in Africa, the main objective is to increase skills and qualifications across the African continent while collaborating with universities in Europe. This way, inclusive learning mobility opportunities will be promoted, the quality and relevance of Internationalisation of higher education, especially in Africa will be improved and unemployment among higher education students and trainees will be addressed. 

The eligible consortium composition must have a minimum of four and maximum of six Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from Sub-Saharan Africa with one HEI from one for the EU member states (EU technical partner). Only one HEI in Africa can be lead applicant/coordinator. Other organisations from Africa can participate as Associate Partners. In order to benefit from this, Africa must be represented by at least three of the five regions on the continent. For instance, if a University in Southern Africa applies for the grant, it must do so with one from East Africa, West Africa or North Africa and together must have an EU university. If a university has the capacity to, it must host students from another partner university for academic mobility to be achieved.

Makerere University and the University of Namibia will under this MoU take full advantage of what the project will offer. Each project will receive up to the tune of €1.8 million.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University confirmed an already existing collaboration with UNAM on a number of projects with a lot of their staff coming to Makerere University for exchange programs. He stated that Makerere was been instrumental in helping to set up UNAM’s School of Pharmacy with many students from Namibia coming to Makerere for training.

Prof. Nawangwe added that the solutions of Africa will be found within Africa and the work that the universities are going to do together will help move Africa out of poverty.

He signed the MoU in the presence of the Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Prof. Gorettie N. Nabanoga.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony in Windhoek, Namibia, Prof. Kenneth Matengo, the Vice Chancellor of UNAM said that for a long time, universities in Africa have had more research collaborations with universities in Europe and America than with their African counterparts, a position that must now change. “We need to focus on South to South Cooperation within the Context of Africa.”

Partnerships between RUFORUM member universities are envisaged to help strengthen foresight capacity at African universities and other partners and support capacity building in this important area to support planning and future implementation of key programs. Furthermore, they are projected to increase ‘academic mobility schemes’ and strengthens Centres of Excellence to enhance mobility, regional level training, and economies of scope as well as scale.