Mount Kenya University (MKU) has inked a crucial collaboration agreement with Namibia’s International University of Management whose main campus is based in Windhoek.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involves collaboration, exchange of knowledge and good practices between the two learning institutions. “We want to train our youth to become real scientists not just seekers of academic papers,” said Deputy Vice President of the Republic of Namibia Dr Nangolo Mbumba who graced the event.

He said the more African university students interact when they are studying, before they start working or join politics, the better for Africa. “We are not going to meet people and say they are form Southern, West or East African regions; we are all one people,” he said.

“A healthy and food-secured nation in which all preventable infections and parasitic diseases are under secure control, the people enjoy a high standard of living, good quality of life, translating into long life expectancy and sustainable population growth,” he added.

MKU Vice Chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi said the two countries have their Vision Statements (Kenya Vision 2030 and Namibia Vision 2030) very similarly directed towards creation of strong health care systems that have adequate capacities to serve the respective nations in terms of provision of adequate, affordable and reliable health care.

The two universities serve in capacity development as a way of supporting their respective countries’ Vision Statements.

“When medical schools and governments partner on cross-border basis and benchmark with each other, this is a sure way of contributing toward reduced inequalities in health care within the continent,” said Prof Jaganyi.

Collaboration shall be carried out, subject to the availability of funds and the approval of the vice-chancellors of both universities, through such activities or programmes as academic engagements between the MKU College of Health Sciences and the International University of Management’s (IUM) Medical School.

This is in the areas of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching which shall include staff and student exchange and shared online teaching and learning.

The MOU also clears the way for partnerships in medical electives, extra-mural rotations, joint research and publications, community engagement and primary health care, tele-medicine, sharing of online resource materials, joint grant writing, back linking of websites, and any other relevant activities as may be mutually agreed upon in other areas of the two universities.

The joint steering committee consists of MKU College of Health Sciences Principal Dr Josephat Njuguna and the institution’s Dean Medical School Dr Juliet Gathaara. IUM is represented by Prof Peter Nyarango, coordinator, school of medicine, and Wilfred Muller, Director of Finance.