DTU delegation together with the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance, Planning and Development, Prof Jackson Maalu and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Margaret Hutchinson during the courtesy call.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) held a strategic partnership workshop from July 1–3, 2025, aimed at deepening collaboration in research, innovation, and curriculum co-creation. The three-day program, hosted at the University of Nairobi Towers, brought together academic leaders, innovation experts, and institutional leaders to explore new pathways for impactful collaboration.
The workshop was co-led by Prof. Jackson K. Maalu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Ag) for Finance, Planning, and Development, and Prof. Thomas Ochuku, Director of Research and Enterprise. Other key UoN participants included Prof. Francis Mulaa, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Ag) for Research, Innovation, and Enterprise, and Prof. Maina J. Wagacha, Director of the Intellectual Property Management Office, among others.
The DTU delegation was led by Mr. Morten Overgaard, Director of International Education, accompanied by Prof Jes Broeng, Head of DTU Entrepreneurship, Mr. Simon Ulvund, Head of DTU Earthbound, Mr. Björgvin Hjartarson and Ms. Jana Marta Rudnik, of DTU Sky lab.
The program started with a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, who emphasized the importance of long-term, sustainable academic partnerships. “We must continue working together to develop context-relevant curricula and jointly pursue opportunities that deliver impact locally and globally,” she said.
The workshop featured presentations on each university’s research and innovation strengths, and the teams explored the Danida funding programme alongside other potential funding opportunities. They also engaged with key stakeholders, including the Danish Embassy in Kenya and the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) to strengthen strategic partnerships and broaden collaborative prospects.
Looking ahead, both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to building a long-term strategic partnership anchored on mutual learning, joint curriculum development, and collaborative research. A key highlight of the workshop was the shared intention to mobilize resources jointly, leveraging the strengths of both institutions to secure funding for innovation hubs, student exchanges and co-hosted programs.
The workshop marked an important step toward institutionalizing the UoN-DTU strategic collaboration as a model for global academic cooperation focused on impact, sustainability, and inclusive growth.
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