JKUAT Strengthens Collaboration and Capacity Building at Project Meeting in Ethiopia - Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

*Participants engage in a group session during the IMPACT-HE meeting.*

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) participated in the IMPACT-HE consortium meeting hosted by Jimma University in Ethiopia from September 23–25, 2025.

Held under the theme “Capacity Building for Synergies, Impact Assessment, and Management of International Higher Education Cooperation Funds,” the meeting sought to strengthen collaboration, innovation, and sustainability among higher education institutions.

The IMPACT-HE Project aimed to enhance the capacity of universities in Kenya and Ethiopia to effectively manage international development and cooperation projects, ensuring long-term institutional and societal impact.

The meeting brought together seven African universities JKUAT, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), and Moi University from Kenya; and Jimma, Hawassa, Haramaya, and Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) from Ethiopia alongside three European partner universities: Maastricht School of Management (MSM), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT).

Also in attendance were key development partners including DAAD, EDUFI, and VLIR-UOS, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Education in Kenya and Ethiopia, and higher education associations such as OBREAL Global and the African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE).

The Project, which was co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by OBREAL Global, served as a higher education capacity-building initiative that fostered international collaboration and institutional development.

*Mr. Philip Oyier gives his input during a plenary session at the IMPACT-HE Project meeting.*

The consortium meeting provided a platform for sharing experiences, identifying common challenges across African institutions, and co-developing strategies for sustainable collaboration.

JKUAT, together with HSWT, led the Training, Capacity Building, and Networking for Enhanced Project Management and Impact Assessment work package. The objective was to strengthen the capacity of staff in African international relations offices, project management units, and quality assurance departments in project management, monitoring, and impact assessment. The overall goal was to empower these professionals to serve as effective managers and change agents within their institutions.

Represented by Mr. Philip Oyier, JKUAT contributed to discussions on enhancing project management systems, strengthening institutional capacities, and leveraging digitalization to improve efficiency in higher education partnerships.

Mr. Oyier led discussions that identified shared challenges, unique institutional needs, and African priorities supported by the European Union across partner institutions.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment among partner universities to foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaborative solutions that addressed the evolving needs of higher education systems across the continent positioning African universities as key drivers of sustainable local development.