MMUST Participates in Madiba Nexus 2026 International Workshop as It Strengthens Global Research Partnerships

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) has participated in the Madiba Nexus 2026 International Workshop, held from 20^th to 23^rd January, 2026 at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Ocean Sciences Campus, South Africa. This workshop was organized under a British Academy, funded research project through the Equitable Partnerships Workshops Follow-On Funding (Grant No. EPWFF/100042) of 30,000 Euros won by a consortium of researchers from four universities. The Madiba Nexus initiative brought together four partnering Universities including MMUST, Nelson Mandela University (SA), the University of Southampton, and the University of Edinburgh (UK). It aims to advance balanced North-South research partnerships, strengthen institutional research capacity, and promote knowledge exchange.

The project is jointly led by Dr. Palesa Mothapo from Nelson Mandela University as Principal Investigator, in collaboration with the Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Planning and Innovation)- Prof. Peter W. Bukhala– MMUST, Dr. Conor Snowden of the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Julie Reeves, Dr. Ying Chen, and Dr. Maria Norton of the University of Southampton.

MMUST Delegation at the Science Center, Ocean Science Center.

MMUST representation in this international workshop was drawn from the Council, Division of Planning, Research and Innovation (PRI), Division of Administration and Finance and the Division of Academic and Student Affairs. The engagement aligns with the MMUST Strategic Plan (2023–2028), particularly its priorities on research capacity development, internationalization, and equitable global engagement.

The MMUST delegation consisted of Dr. Kennedy Olungo (Council Member), Prof. John K. Thuo (Deputy Vice Chancellor- Administration and Finance), Prof. Peter W. Bukhala (Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor Planning, Research and Innovation), Dr. Collins K. Matemba (Registrar, Planning Research and Innovation), Prof. Francis O. Omoto (Director, Research and Postgraduate Support), Prof. Elizabeth Omukunda, Dr. Annette Okoth, and Ms. Irene Aluku.

The Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Planning and Innovation)- Prof. Peter W. Bukhala speaks during the workshop in South Africa.

The workshop brought together researchers, research managers, institutional leaders, and funding partners to deliberate on best practices for building equitable, transparent, and sustainable international research collaborations. Discussions were particularly relevant to institutions in the Global South, including MMUST, which continue to navigate structural imbalances in funding access, partnership governance, and decision-making in global research. Participants emphasized the importance of strong institutional systems, effective research support structures, and partnership models grounded in mutual accountability and shared ownership as foundations for research excellence.

Key thematic areas addressed during the workshop included, research supervision capacity building, with discussions highlighting the central role of quality postgraduate supervision in driving research excellence and improving completion rates; research lifecycle and grant management, award management, compliance, and project close-out; and equity in international research partnerships, which emerged as a cross-cutting concern addressing power imbalances, shared ownership, and mutual accountability in collaborative research.

MMUST Delegation in South Africa.

The MMUST delegation also engaged with research funders, gaining insights into evolving funding priorities, accountability requirements, and opportunities for strengthening transparent and constructive relationships between institutions and funding agencies. More specifically the delegation had an opportunity to meet and discuss with the Vice Chancellor (Prof. Sibongile Muthwa) and the Director Research support and Management (Dr. Palesa Mothapo) on issues relating to partnerships between MMUST and NMU. The vice chancellor agreed to visit MMUST in April 2026 with a delegation from the research department to support our initiative in developing the Research Management Office.

MMUST’s participation in the Madiba Nexus International Workshop has clearly enhanced its understanding of international best practices in research supervision and grant management. The engagement has strengthened institutional capacity to support research more effectively and deepened appreciation of equity principles in partnership formation and implementation.

MMUST Delegation together with other researchers during the workshop.

Notably, MMUST has harvested valuable networking opportunities, and generated insights that will inform the ongoing refinement of the University’s research policies, systems, and support structures.