A team of five delegates from the University of Agder, Faculty of Social Sciences led by their Dean, Professor Anne Halvorsen is in Makerere University to build and strengthen their international collaborations. They paid a courtesy visit to the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning on Thursday October 11, 2018 at 9:00am. The team constituted Professor Anne Halvorsen, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences; Associate Professor. Ann Christian Nilsen, Head of Department, Sociology and social work; Associate Professor. Jorunn Gjedrem; Mr. Erik Rustad, Students’ Adviser, and Matte Fløystad Kvammen.
Ms. Dianah Nampijja, from the Department of Adult and Community Education and PhD student at the University of Agder assisted in connecting the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Agder with the Department of Social Work and Social Administration to establish collaboration for student placement and research. However, given the long-standing and strong collaboration, the University of Agder has with the College of Education and External Studies through the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, the team from Agder purposed to visit the School to share experiences and establish new possibilities for placements and collaborations in research.
The meeting held in the School of Distance and Lifelong – DELP Conference room was well attended by the Academic staff from the Department of Adult and Community Education led by the Head of Department, Mr. Ahimbisibwe Karembe (Acting Dean) and Academic Staff from the Institute of Open Distance and E-Learning led by Dr. Jamiah Mayanja representing the Director.
During the Meeting, experiences on the existing collaborations between the University of Agder and the College of Education and External Studies were shared. Mr. Joseph Watuleke the International Coordinator between the University of Agder and Department of Adult and Community Education presented the background of the collaboration with DACE ranging back from 2005 with the NOMA project, the Quota Scheme, the current Erasmus + Student Mobility Exchange programme, the Field Course and research collaboration as well as the recent NORPART application submission. Mr. Godfrey Mayende, representing the DELP coordinator presented the experiences from the DELP project enumerating the achievements under the three pillars of the DELP project, which included Education, PhD and Research, and Institutional Development. Mr. Mayende also talked about other projects that the College has received because of the successful execution of the DELP project that included the EPICA project, PEBL, ADB ICT funding among others. Dr. Jamiah Mayanja presented the Mandate of IODEL in Makerere University and the current programmes and enrollments under the Department of ODEL.
Mr. Anthony Kadoma, the Project Administrator for the Sustainable Futures in Africa (SFA) Project Hub at the Department of Adult and Community Education explained the international research collaborations the SFA Network is engaged in to take the Universities to the Communities. He listed Universities involved in the collaboration which included: Makerere University in Uganda, University of Botswana, University of Malawi, Obafemi Awolowo University, IIe-Ife, Nigeria and University of Glasgow, Scotland UK. Ms. Rose Atungoza, the Coordinator Center for Lifelong Learning explained the Center’s mandate of taking the Universities to the communities through extra mural programmes.
In reaction, the team from the University of Agder overwhelmingly appreciated the reception they received and the strong collaboration that existed. They indicated that Department of Sociology and Social Work of the University of Agder would build on the experiences of this existing collaboration to strengthen its students’ placements and research. They showed interest in working with some members of the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning especially with background in Social work on their current and future research projects as well as discussing with the Department of Adult and Community Education further on possibility for student placement and internship.
Article by
Joseph Watuleke
