MKU, Namibia’s University Partner to Strengthen Medical Education and Healthcare Systems
Mount Kenya University (MKU) and Namibia’s International University of Management, whose main campus is in Windhoek, have signed a collaboration agreement.
The MOU was signed on Friday at the MKU main campus in Thika in the presence of the Vice President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, the MKU Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi, and the International University of Management (IUM) coordinator, School of Medicine, Prof. Peter Nyarango.
Dr. Mbumba stated during the ceremony that the collaboration agreement would facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices between the medical colleges of the two institutions.
He expressed the desire to educate and train students to become genuine scientists rather than individuals solely focused on acquiring academic degrees. He believed that this agreement would facilitate this goal on an international scale.
Prof. Jaganyi remarked that the Vision Statements of both nations (Kenya Vision 2030 and Namibia Vision 2030) are similarly geared toward the development of robust health care systems with the capacity to serve their respective nations in terms of the provision of adequate, affordable, and dependable health care.
Prof. Jaganyi expressed the aspiration to witness the emergence of healthy, food-secure nations with well-managed preventable infections and parasitic diseases.
The goal is for citizens to experience a high standard of living and a good quality of life, leading to increased life expectancy and sustainable population growth.
He emphasized that when medical schools and governments collaborate across borders and benchmark with each other, it presents a reliable approach to reducing healthcare inequalities within the continent.
Subject to the availability of funds and the approval of both vice chancellors of the universities, the partnership will be implemented through programs and academic engagements between MKU’s College of Health Sciences and IUM’s Medical School in the areas of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, including staff and student exchange programs and online learning.
In addition, the MOU paves the way for partnerships in medical electives, extra-mural rotations, collaborative research and publications, community engagement, and primary healthcare, as well as any other mutually agreeable activities. In the immediate future, the partnership will be expanded to include other schools and faculty at the two universities.
The Namibian institution, now known as the International University of Management, was established as a college in 1994 and granted university status in 2002.
The five-year duration of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the parties is subject to renewal by both parties.
MKU, Namibia’s University Partner to Strengthen Medical Education and Healthcare Systems
