In a momentous stride towards nurturing academic collaboration between the United Kingdom and Africa, the University of Nottingham has officially launched the new European office for the Association of African Universities (AAU). Situated on the university's Jubilee Campus and hosted by the School of Education, this initiative marks a significant milestone in a comprehensive five-year agreement aimed at enriching education and research partnerships across the two continents.

The inauguration event, graced by the presence of Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West from the University of Nottingham, AAU President Professor Bakri Osman Saeed, and AAU Secretary-General Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, marked the official opening of the office. Professor West expressed pride in hosting the AAU Europe Regional Office, highlighting its potential to serve as a vital platform for future collaborations in higher education between Africa and Europe.

"The office will serve as a conduit for continental collaboration across research, advocacy, and policy development for years to come, and the connections made between members of our global higher education community will empower us to collectively address the major global challenges of our time," remarked Professor West.

Representing over 430 universities in Africa, the AAU views the establishment of the European office at the University of Nottingham as a historic occasion for facilitating international collaboration. Professor Osman Saeed emphasized the critical role of this collaboration in enhancing workforce skills in both Africa and Europe.

Professor Oyewole outlined the strategic importance of collaboration, envisioning partnerships through research, student exchange, and mobility programs, promoting knowledge sharing, and enhancing research capabilities across continents.

Under the leadership of Professor Juliet Thondhlana, UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development at the School of Education, the office will focus on specific areas of collaboration, including capacity building, quality assurance, resource mobilization, ICT, and infrastructural development.

International collaboration is deemed essential for teaching and research, and the University of Nottingham is eager to develop equitable partnerships to advance research and innovation across continents. The launch event featured panel sessions on strengthening research and teaching excellence between Europe and Africa, emphasizing transformative partnerships in the research ecosystem.

The new office's projects include initiatives on data ethics in education, research writing workshops, AI design and use in higher education in Africa, and capacity building/executive education with African institutions, further solidifying the commitment to advancing academia through global collaboration.

Article by RB Correspodent

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https://blog.aau.org/official-launch-of-the-aau-europe-regional-office-nottingham-university-uk/