In keeping with its objective of leading initiatives to rethink higher education, Una Europa, an alliance of eleven (11) leading European Research universities, has hosted representatives from universities across the globe to participate in a Europa and Africa Collaboration Meeting. The meeting was intended to extend beyond Europe and seek strategic collaboration in Africa.
Subsequently, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo and the Dean, International Programmes Office, Prof. Eric Osei-Assibey, participated in the 2022 Una Europa and Africa Collaboration Meeting held at the University of Helsinki, Finland.
This 5-day meeting sought to explore opportunities for collaboration between Europe and Africa, deepen international collaboration, broaden Una Europa outlook and welcome fresh perspectives from Europe and Africa as they expand beyond their continent.
The five focal areas of the collaboration are: Cultural Heritage; Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: European Studies using innovative and cross-cutting approach through which to observe the opportunities and challenges of Europe; One Health, promoting networked thinking about health to improve disease detection, prevention and treatment and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
On the second day of the meeting, during the co-creation meeting between the rectors and vice-rectors of the Una Europa universities and African universities, Prof. Amfo, made an insightful presentation on the history, administrative structures, internationalisation strategic priorities and the prime research focus areas of the University of Ghana.
Prof. Osei-Assibey also participated in the panel discussion on how artificial intelligence (AI) impact the world around us, highlighting the opportunities and challenges; after Una Europa launched its first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), AI in Society.
The presentations and interactive sessions which ensued throughout the meeting period finally culminated in an agreement to set up a working group, made up of one representative from each university present, to operationalise the proposal of developing PhD level training in virtual and hybrid formats. The meeting also provided an avenue for bilateral meetings with representatives of the Una Europa partner universities.
Prof. Osei-Assibey *(far right) participating in a panel discussion
Other universities from Africa which participated in the meeting are Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique; Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar in Senegal, University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa; University of Nairobi in Kenya and University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
