Students and staff from the School of Nursing at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) will now have the opportunity to visit Austria through a new exchange programme established under a mobility agreement with the University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria (FHGOOE)

Supported by Erasmus+, the programme began in March 2025 and was actualized on 27th May when two faculty members Ursula Halbmayr-Kubicsek and Gabriele Zaunbauer from FHGOOE visited JKUAT to engage with staff and students at the Juja campus, a first for the Austrian institution.

Speaking during the inaugural meeting held at the College of Health Sciences complex, outgoing Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Albanus Mutisya, said the exchange programme aims to promote shared learning between the two institutions.

“The programme will focus on sharing best practices in nursing education, involving students in joint learning projects, and developing case studies based on healthcare experiences from both Kenya and Austria. By exploring medical anthropology, we aim to integrate intercultural perspectives and foster international collaboration,” said Dr. Mutisya.

The interactive session brought together Chairpersons of the four departments under the School of Nursing—Dr. Caroline Kerubo (Midwifery), Dr. Jostine Mutinda (General Nursing), Dr. Grace Mbuthia (Community Health Nursing), and Mr. Joseph Odero (Nursing Education Management, Leadership and Research)—alongside their faculty members.

The discussion provided valuable insights into the structure and content of nursing curricula, as well as clinical training approaches in both Kenya and Austria. A key revelation was the differing levels of emphasis placed on community health nursing.

While Kenya has long integrated community-based health services as a core component of nursing education—emphasizing preventive care, outreach, and grassroots engagement—this area remains relatively new in Austria, where hospital-based care traditionally dominates.

The exchange, which included a visit to a Geriatric Home (Kasarani Mji wa Wazee) in Nairobi, also opened new avenues for Austria to learn from Kenya’s strong model of community-oriented and general nursing practice.

The visiting faculty also had a chance to visit Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital and Murang’a County Referral Hospital where JKUAT’s nursing students undertake their clinical practice.

They were also accompanied by Ms. Roselyne Okumu, a faculty member at the School of Nursing and President of the Oncology Nurses Society of Kenya, on visits to the Kenyatta National Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit and Nairobi Hospice. These visits offered insights into Kenya’s healthcare system and explored potential placement opportunities for Austrian nursing students.

Dr. Musa Mohammed, Head of Linkages at the College of Health Sciences, appreciated the European Union’s support in advancing such exchange programmes at the University, noting their impact on boosting graduates’ skills and career readiness.

He also emphasized that the College leadership, under the stewardship of the Principal Dr. Reuben Thuo continues to champion international collaborations that enrich academic and professional experiences for students and faculty alike.

The first cohort of students is scheduled to visit Austria in August 2025, followed by a faculty exchange in October 2025.