MMUST And Two Italian Universities Strengthen Ties As The Three Discuss Current And Future Collaborations In STEM And Other Related Fields
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has strengthened its ties with two (2) Italian Universities, that is, the University of Parma (UNIPR) and the University of Trieste (UniTS). From 27th to 28th August, 2025, the three (3) institutions engaged in discussions, which took place in MMUST, focusing on current and future collaborations in STEM and other related fields. The two-day discussions, dubbed ‘MMUST-Italy STEM Present and Future Collaborations’, were flagged-off by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs)-Prof. Hussein Golicha. The Italy team comprised the Associate Professor in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Parma-Prof. Roberto Valentino, as well as Prof. Danilo Lewański (Associate Professor of Geometry) and Prof. Federico Dogo, both from the University of Trieste.
“These discussions are designed to explore new ways of strengthening our partnerships, share diverse perspectives and build on our collective strengths. Ever since MMUST entered into individual Collaborative Agreements with the two institutions, we have seen a number of joint transformative initiatives among them, and there is still a lot to be done,” stated Prof. Golicha during the flagging-off ceremony. He thanked the Italian delegates and MMUST staff for their commitment to building a more connected and collaborative future, urging them to make the most of those discussions to learn, grow and discover more areas of collaboration.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs), Prof. Hussein Golicha (right), shares a conversation with Prof. Roberto Valentino and the Dean-SDMHA, Dr. Ferdinand Nabiswa.
On the first day of the discussions, Prof. Valentino gave an overview of his University, highlighting its various Departments, while pointing out specific available opportunities for collaboration. He talked about UNIPR’s Centre for International Cooperation, where he called on MMUST researchers to partner in one of its focus areas, which include food security, rural development, gender equality, clean energy, inclusive education and climate change. The second day of the event saw the Civil Engineer take participants through a presentation on ‘Mitigation Measures to Prevent Landslides: Examples in Italy and in East Africa’. This particular presentation involved scholars from the School of Engineering and Built Environment (SEBE), as well as those from the School of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (SDMHA). “Landslides and floods often occur at the same time. Although they are complementary and overlapping disasters, they generally require different management and mitigation approaches,” said Prof. Valentino. He further emphasized the need to integrate field surveys, aerial photos and satellite images in landslide and flood mapping, saying that this will help to develop comprehensive and accurate approaches.
The Director of International Relations and Academic Linkages (DIAL), Dr. Umulkher Ali, noted that the Collaborative Agreements that MMUST has with the two Italian Universities, are one of the most active partnerships in the University. In an interview with DCCM, Dr. Ali revealed that both of the Collaborative Agreements were signed in 2024, and that the one between MMUST and UNIPR is called ‘Protocol of International University Cooperation for Educational and Scientific Purposes’. “This Agreement is housed in the School of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, spearheaded by the Dean, Dr. Ferdinand Nabiswa. The two institutions have worked together to develop a research proposal to the Erasmus+ programme, and are part of ACHIEVE-IT and UNITAFRICA projects,” stated Dr. Ali, adding that this partnership has opened MMUST up to more networking opportunities with other Italian Universities.
University of Trieste’s Prof. Danilo Lewański makes a presentation on day one of the discussions.
“Similarly, MMUST signed a Mobility Agreement with the University of Trieste in 2024, which is housed in the Department of Mathematics, under the School of Natural Sciences. At MMUST, this Agreement is spearheaded by Prof. George Lawi, who has collaborated for many years with Prof. Lewański. Currently, there is an active Erasmus+ KA171 grant between MMUST and UniTS, with three of our staff expected to travel to Italy very soon,” said the DIAL Director. She added that courtesy of this partnership, there was a joint STACK Conference in 2023, which was the first-ever of its kind in Africa. The Conference was organized by UniTS, MMUST and Maseno University, in conjunction with IDEMS International, and Innovations in Development, Education, and the Mathematical Sciences (INNODEMS). STACK is the world-leading open-source automatic assessment system for mathematics and STEM.
During the flagging-off ceremony, Prof. Lewański gave a detailed presentation on the STACK system, and how it has successfully been incorporated into STEM programmes at his University. He added, “this system has greatly improved learning and student achievements, as it has not only enabled us to give continuous assessments, but also ensured that learners receive immediate feedback.”
Prof. Roberto Valentino presents on day 2 of the discussions.
The discussions between MMUST and the two institutions were productive and concluded on a high note. It was apparent that the Universities have been able to successfully implement their individual Collaborative Agreements and there is no doubt that they will continue to foster academic exchange, joint research projects, and other initiatives that will benefit staff and students.
Photos by Shiundu Masafu
