L to R: UCA President, Prof Jeanick Brisswalter, the VC, Prof Margaret Hutchinson, IRD CEO, Valérie Verdier and the COO, Mr. Brian Ouma. during the courtesy call to the VC.
The University of Nairobi was honored to host a high-level courtesy call by the CEO of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Valérie Verdier and the President of Université Côte d’Azur (UCA), Prof. Jeanick Brisswalter, on Thursday, April 08, 2025. The visit was organized by the Directorate of University Advancement & Institutional Development under the framework of the Engineering and Science Complex (ESC) Project.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Margaret Hutchinson, led the University’s senior management team in receiving the distinguished guests. In attendance were the Chief Operations Officer – Mr. Brian Ouma, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise (DVC RIE) – Prof. Francis Mulaa, and the Director of Research – Prof. Thomas Ochuku. Also present were faculty members and researchers drawn from various departments across the Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Faculty of Agriculture—many of whom are part of the Engineering and Science Complex project.
During the meeting, the IRD CEO acknowledged IRD’s longstanding presence and the impact of its work in the East African region, reaffirming the organization's commitment to advancing development-oriented research in collaboration with African institutions. The University of Nairobi, having been a valued partner of IRD for many years, was recognized for its vibrant research community and its central role in regional academic and scientific advancement.
Both parties underscored the importance of sustaining and expanding these collaborative efforts to address the pressing needs of local communities. A shared vision emerged from the discussions: the need to co-create a robust research ecosystem that supports innovation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building across diverse disciplines.
Of particular interest was the potential to formalize the collaboration through the development of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), which will provide a framework for joint research activities and mobility programs. The two institutions expressed mutual interest in exploring emerging fields of research such as Artificial Intelligence & Open Data, One Health, and Sports Medicine—areas in which French researchers have demonstrated significant expertise and which align well with the thematic priorities of the Engineering and Science Complex.
This visit marked a significant step forward in strengthening international academic partnerships and reaffirmed the University of Nairobi’s strategic focus on global collaboration as a pathway to impactful research and sustainable development.
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