Faculty and students from the School of Nursing at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) had the opportunity to visit the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions in Upper Austria, in an effort to strengthen academic collaboration and advance nursing education and research.
This was made possible through an exchange programme established under a staff and students mobility agreement between the two institutions, supported by the European Union under the Erasmus+ KA171 initiative. The programme, which began in March 2025, seeks to promote international learning experiences and foster long-term partnerships in health sciences education.
The students travelled earlier in August 2025, while faculty members Prof. Drusilla Makworo and Dr. Albanus Mutisya joined them later between 6th and 15th October 2025, for the international learning and cultural exchange experience.
As part of the knowledge exchange, activities in this first-ever partnership for the School of Nursing included sharing experiences on healthcare training and systems in both Kenya and Austria. The programme also featured interactive sessions with students, lecturers, and healthcare specialists, alongside presentations on nursing education and practice in Kenya.
The delegation also visited various training facilities within the university campuses and teaching hospitals, to gain insights into clinical practice and healthcare delivery in Austria.
The two Nursing students from JKUAT – Justice Kipngeno and Elizabeth Muli, both in their fourth year of study – are currently undertaking a three-month placement at Kepler University Hospital in Austria as part of the student exchange programme. Two additional students are scheduled to travel to Austria in August 2026 to continue the collaboration.
Beyond the professional engagements, the exchange also featured cultural and social experiences, including excursions, where participants visited the Nursing Museum at the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna.
Dr. Albanus Mutisya, the immediate former Dean of the School of Nursing and coordinator of international collaborations and exchange programs at the school, emphasized the value of international engagement, noting that “international collaborations enrich teaching, curriculum, research, and nursing practice, and connect people across borders.” He further expressed confidence that “the school is committed to achieving the overarching goal of establishing sustainable cooperation that extends beyond Erasmus+ funding, through virtual lectures and internationalization at home.”
This visit by the JKUAT team follows an earlier enriching visit by Austrian faculty members, Ursula Kubicsek and Gabriele Zaunbauer, to JKUAT and its partner teaching facilities in Kenya in June 2025.
