Inter-University Exchange Project
Inter-University Exchange Project:
Programme for Developing Human Resource to Contribute to SDGs by Merging African Potential and Japanese Scientific Technology
Utsunomiya University (UU), Japan – Meru University of Science & Technology (MUST), Kenya
Overview of Existing Partnership
The “Programme for Developing Human Resource to Contribute to SDGs by Merging African Potential and Japanese Scientific Technology” University inter-exchange project kicked off on 24th March 2021 with participants from Utsunomiya University (Japan) and six (6) African Universities among them, Meru University of Science & Technology (Kenya), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya), Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (Tanzania) and University of Ghana (Ghana).
The key objectives of the programme are :
i. The Compulsory Intensive Course “Global Management”
ii. Joint Student Summit
iii. Web Symposiums
iv. Faculty/ student exchange
i. The Compulsory Intensive Course “Global Management”
This course aims to develop personnel who can contribute to joint activities between Africa and Japan by understanding the potential of local communities and achieving sustainable development based on the social structure. Therefore, six (6) African universities and Utsunomiya University in Japan jointly offer web online courses related to Africa, SDGs, and Science to postgraduate students in these Universities. The course includes fifteen lectures, the 1st and 15th classes are held on-time and while the others are conducted on-demand.
ii. Joint Student Summit
This Student Summit is a conference where overseas master’s students gather and make presentations about their research in relation to the perspective of SDGs. Notably, the student summit is organized by a committee of representative students from the seven Universities.
iii. International Web Symposiums
Symposium are held on the web every two months and are open to the public outside of 7 universities. MSc. Students of 7 universities who participate and report receive a certificate of participation from UU.
iv. Faculty and Student exchange
Masters (MSc) Students from the six (6) African Universities have an opportunity for a long term (up to 12 months) and/or short term (1-3 months) visit to Utsunomiya University, Japan. These visits are fully funded, and are based on the students GPA score and performance in the Global Management course. Similarly, students from Utsunomiya University can visit some of the African Universities for a short term visit.
Highlights of successful outcomes of the inter-exchange project:
1) Four (4) Global Management Courses have been conducted between September 2021- August 2024. The recent one was conducted in July 2024.
2) Three (3) Student summits have been held between March 2022- March 2024
3) Fifteen (15) UU-A International Web Symposium. The 16th international symposium will be held on 27th September 2024.
4) Faculty/Student Exchange. Two students and one faculty member from MUST have already visited Utsunomiya University, Japan. Long-term (one year) visit (2023) – Daisy Kiprono and short term (one month) visit (2024) – Emmah Mwende. Next year, four students and one faculty member (Mr. Benson Mutuma) will travel to Japan, covered by the UU-A program and the Sakura Science Program.
5) MUST has had three visits from faculty members from Utsunomiya University. Additionally, five (5) postgraduate students from Utsunomiya University visited MUST for a short-term visit in February 2024.
Global Management Courses

Selected Postgraduate awardees from Meru University of Science and Technology pose for a photo with their Global Management Course 2024 certificates, joined by visitors from Utsunomiya University, Japan.Dr. Tomohide Natsuaki specially appointed Professor & Senior Coordinator for Inter-University Exchange Project Promotion, Dr. Takeshi Kurokura, Harun Kimathi, Ph.D student (UU) and Kohei Okuda, student (UU).

Selected postgraduate awardees from Meru University of Science and Technology pose for a photo with their Global Management Course 2024 certificates, alongside faculty members Dr. George Mugambi, Mr. Benson Mutuma, Dr. Cynthia Mugo (Technical Coordinator for the UU-MUST Inter-University Exchange Project), and Dr. Cyprian Mutuuria. Also featured in the photo is Ms. Daisy Kiprono, a project beneficiary and MSc. student in the Department of Biological Sciences at MUST.

Joint Student Summit

Joint Student Summit top student- MUST, Ms. Amwoma Lorraine Moindi
Student Exchange

Ms. Daisy Kiprono, an MSc student in Molecular Biology at Meru University of Science and Technology, conducts her research at Utsunomiya University in Japan. Daisy received a one-year scholarship for this research opportunity due to her exceptional performance in the Global Management Course in 2022. She will continue her academic journey at Utsunomiya University, having been awarded a full PhD scholarship by the Japanese Government.