A team at Gulu University is fine-tuning documents in preparation for the implementation of the BSU IV programme.
Supported by another team from Danish universities, Gulu is expected to use BSU IV to add to the research, outreach and administration achievements of the previous three BSU phases which run from 2011 to 2023. For a university that has achieved so much with BSU over the years, the launch of BSU IV in June was another big moment. The overall BSU IV project is worth more than USD 10m and its implementation ends in 2028.
The choice of Zanzibar Beach Resort for the BSU IV inception workshop was perfect. A long beach with an open view of a visibly endless Indian Ocean was a great ground for imagination and creative thinking. The thick tree cover and the historical architecture provided tranquillity. It was a mixed environment of both work and holiday.
A view of the Indian Ocean from the lounge of Zanzibar Beach Resort Hotel
The Gulu team, led by the University Secretary, David Obol Otori, arrived at the hotel early afternoon on June 6, 2023. Each team member had to first settle in after several hours of travel from Gulu to Entebbe, and from Entebbe to Zanzibar via Addis Ababa.
Gulu Team (L-R): Dr. Stella Laloyo, Mr. Otori, Dr. Agatha Alidri, Dr. Francis Atube (standing) and Prof. Charles Okumu at Bole International Airport (Addis)
I asked for a room close to and directly facing the sea. I wanted to hear every wave. I wanted to feel the breeze. I wanted to see and feel the vastness of the sea.
There was a surprise waiting inside the cottage: A golden atmosphere. It was so tempting to keep indoors, yet the outside was also attractive and calmly inviting. I stayed in my room until the evening when I came out for a snack and a walk at the beach.
Inside my hotel room at Zanzibar Resort Beach Hotel
Three African universities had gathered here; Uganda’s Gulu University (GU), Tanzania’s State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), and Somaliland’s University of Hargeisa (UOH). Together with the Danish Institute of International Studies(DIIS) and five Danish Universities – Aalborg University, University of Copenhagen, Roskilde University, University of Southern Denmark and, Aarhus University – they would spend the next three days planning and discussing how they were going to implement BSU IV.
Each participating African university has its Danish partners as well as its own priority research areas. The grant also comes with a package for “strengthening administrative systems and organisations” for the universities.
Consultant, Jorgen Skytte Jensen (r) facilitates the workshop
GU is partnered with Aalborg University (lead), the University of Copenhagen, and Roskilde University. SUZA is with the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, Aalborg University and Roskilde University, and UOH is collaborating with the University of Copenhagen (lead), Roskilde University, the University of Southern Denmark and the DIIS. While SUZA pursues Environmental Health and Marine Ecosystem, and UOH focuses on Public Policy and Governance as well as Public Health, GU continues to build on Transforming Education as well as Rights, Resources and Gender as its key themes. It was exciting for GU to welcome UOH, a new partner with new prospects, into BSU IV.
Led by the project consultant, Jorgen Skytte Jensen, and backed by a team from Danida Fellowship Centre, the universities reviewed their project documents to streamline their intended activities as well as identify avenues for collaboration. It was all exciting for some participants of the African universities physically meeting the DFC team, led by the Director, Ulla Naesby Tawiah, for the first time, following a series of online engagements. Also, having the administrators from the south partner universities attend the inception workshop provided an opportunity for a good grounding for BSU IV.
DFC Director Ulla Naesby Tawiah (3rd from left) with some DFC staff Vibeke Quaade (l) and Larse Arne (standing)
During BSU IV, Gulu will concentrate on four topical areas: 1) ‘Lifelong Education and New ways of learning: Problem-based learning, hybrid and eLearning’; 2) ‘Sustainable Development and Climate Change Mitigation: Innovation, education and community engagement’; 3) ‘Post-conflict Policies and Practices: Hosts and Refugees, Transitional Justice’; and 4) ‘Health and Technologies: Health Rights and Changing Gender Relationships’.
Gulu University's BSU IV implementing team comprising Ugandan and Danish partners, researchers, and administrators
BSU IV will also seek to strengthen the university research organisation and administration frameworks as well as to further the development of e-learning and e-learning infrastructure, ICT, and the development of a fully-fledged grants management office. There will also be institutional strengthening of the capacity in public engagement, community outreach and dissemination of information from and related to the thematic research areas.
Achievements of the previous BSU phases include support to 27 PhD candidates, support to increase GU’s bandwidth over the years from 2mbps before BSU to the current 133mbps, implementation of new learning approaches such as PBL, development of new PhD and Masters programmes as well as formulation of policies for the university. BSU IV will still support PhD and postdoc training. This time also, there will be support for life-long learning and PBL approaches including among others undergraduates to increase the employability of the graduates.
The three workshop days were very engaging for all the teams. But there was also enough time to have fun. In the evenings, after the discussions, some of us would go into town for tours and shopping. It was a beautiful way to launch a grand five year project. We are looking forward to the implementation of BSU IV.
