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NTU awarded €850,000 to create opportunities with universities in Uganda and Kenya

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) will receive more than €850,000 of funding that will support three years of projects with partners in Uganda and Kenya.

    NTU Project lead Linda Gibson (4th from right) with Makerere University project lead David Musoke (3rd from left) and the 2019 Erasmus+ exchange participants

    Two successful bids for the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) funding were put together by a team of staff from NTU’s Global, Social Sciences, Science and Technology and Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences teams.  Erasmus+ enables UK higher education students and staff to study, gain work experience, teach or train abroad.

    The project in Uganda is in partnership with Makerere University and will involve more than 150 staff and student exchange participants. The key focus will be to build and enhance multidisciplinary skills and technical knowledge within Nursing, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Animal and Agricultural Studies and Environmental Sciences in addition to Public Health. These new subject areas have emerged from work as part of NTU’s ongoing partnership with the School of Public Health at Makerere University and align with research plans for the future.

    Over the next three years the project in Uganda will seek to build the academic, research and employability capacity of students, provide opportunities for knowledge sharing amongst staff and encourage researchers to tackle future global health challenges.

    Colleagues from NTU, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Mount Kenya University are briefed on the restoration of the Brackenhurst Kenya site by Garden Manager and Curator Herbert Ongubo

    The project in Kenya is a four-way partnership with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Mount Kenya University and Brackenhurst Kenya Ltd and will involve 44 staff and student exchange participants.  The key focus will be on ecological management, restoration and social impact assessment.

    NTU will work with these partners in the newly restored indigenous forest at Brackenhurst in Kenya, to support the development of an area of regional excellence in East-African ecological management and restoration.  Enabling key collaborative research and improving leadership capacity and employability skills for all participants.  At the end of this three year project period, partners will present their findings at Brackenhurst Kenya, which will help share the knowledge gained with the local community and enhance the future sustainability of the area.

    Dr David Musoke, the Academic lead at Makerere University in Uganda, said: “We are delighted to continue our successful partnership with Nottingham Trent University. It presents more opportunity for our colleagues and students to share, teach and learn from one another and build on the great work that has already taken place.”

    Jono Jenkins, Project Coordinator at Brackenhurst Kenya, said: “The Erasmus+ grant will enable us to welcome staff and students from all three partner universities to the forest at Brackenhurst. Here at the start of the UN’s decade of ecological restoration, we look forward to the valuable contributions this collaborative team of students and colleagues will make.”

    Pro Vice-Chancellor at Nottingham Trent University, Professor Cillian Ryan, said: “Many teams across NTU worked hard on the bid to secure this ICM funding and I am delighted that it will enable us to carry out research with colleagues in Uganda and Kenya that makes a positive impact on society. This important work aligns with one of NTU’s strategic pillars of ‘connecting globally’ and we are excited to see the results of engaging with our international partners.”

    • Notes for editors

      NTU was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students. NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

      The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

      It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook

      The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was awarded University of the Year in the UK Social Mobility Awards 2019. A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2019 National Student Survey.

      A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 87% satisfaction score in the 2019 National Student Survey.

    Published on 9 October 2020
    • Subject area: Geography, horticulture and environment
    • Category: Press office; School of Science and Technology