VUB Delegation Set to Visit JOOUST to Strengthen Academic and Research Ties
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) has confirmed plans to send a high-level delegation to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in November 2025, further cementing the growing partnership between the two institutions under the VLIR-UOS Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) framework.
The delegation, led by Rector Jan Danckaert and Vice Rector Karin Vanderkerken, will include senior representatives from VUB’s International Relations Office as well as professors from various faculties. The visit is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12.
According to VUB, the visit will feature a high-level engagement with JOOUST’s academic leadership, followed by discipline-specific meetings between visiting professors and their JOOUST counterparts. The aim is to explore new avenues for joint research, academic exchange, and collaborative programming.
This planned programme follows a successful visit by a delegation from JOOUST to Belgium, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Emily Akuno, which took place from 2nd to 7th June 2025. The Kenyan team visited VUB, Ghent University, and the University of Antwerp, with discussions centred on strengthening research partnerships, reviewing the progress of PhD students’ research, and addressing administrative challenges in the third year of the JOOUST VLIR-IUC Project.
A highlight of the June 2025 visit was the Lake Victoria Basin Symposium, organized under the Interwoven Water Project funded by VUB. The symposium convened researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to deliberate on the critical linkages between people, water, food, and the environment. Notable keynote speakers included Prof. Emily Achieng and Prof. Julius Manyala, whose presentations reflected diverse perspectives on science, conservation, gender, art, and community engagement.
The upcoming VUB visit is expected to build on the momentum generated by these ongoing exchanges and reinforce the Kenya-Belgium academic partnership. It also sets the stage for deeper collaboration in student mentorship, joint research initiatives, and the promotion of sustainable development through science and innovation.
