Report

Jürgen Theiss' meetings with Professor F.A. Karani and Mr. U. Grothus at the World Conference on Higher Education at UNESCO in Paris
Paris, France
6th & 7th October 1998

Author of report:
Funding of the meeting
Summary of the visit

During the World Conference on Higher Education at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris from 5 October to 9 October 1998 I had a unique opportunity to meet Professor F.A. Karani, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi and Mr. U. Grothus, director of the DAAD Paris Office and former programme director of the Northern Hemisphere section (Programabteilung Nord) at DAAD.

Prior to our meetings I have provided Prof. Karani and Mr. Grothus with detailed information on the matter concerning the delayed confirmation of the cooperation agreement between the University of Nairobi and the Freie Universität Berlin.

I met Mr. Grothus on Tuesday, 6 October 1998. Mr. Grothus expressed his strong support for the project since it represents an important contribution to DAAD's effort to establish student exchanges with countries other than with Germany's traditional partners of student exchanges as for instance the USA, the United Kingdom or France. Furthermore, he pointed out that the University of Nairobi receives the biggest share of DAAD financial support of all universities outside Germany. Mr. Grothus therefore welcomed very much the effort of giving German students the opportunity to study in particular at the University of Nairobi. However, in order to obtain funding for Germans wishing to study at the University of Nairobi through the DAAD Integrated Study Abroad programme the complete waiver or a substantial reduction of tuition fees for Germans at the University of Nairobi is required. Mr. Grothus agreed to discuss this matter personally with Prof. Karani. Once the cooperation agreement is signed and garantees a complete waiver or a substantial reduction of tuition fees for Berlin physics students visiting the University of Nairobi, Mr. Grothus would like to see DAAD funding to be continued after the current academic year. For Kenyans to visit the Freie Universität Berlin where no tuition fees are charged Mr. Grothus explained various DAAD funding possibilities. He agreed to a joint meeting with Prof. Karani on the following day.


From left: Professor F.A. Karani, Mr. U. Grothus and Mr. J. Theiss (Photo: M. Quenstedt)

Later that day I met with Prof. Karani. Responding to the detailed information I had provided her with regarding my difficulties in achieving the signing of the cooperation agreement by the University of Nairobi which includes the waiver of tuition, Prof. Karani assumed that someone must have made a mistake. She was delighted about the fact that the exchange is in the field of physics and assured me that the signing of the cooperation agreement including the waiver of tuition fees should be a straightforward matter. We discussed in detail necessary changes of the existing draft agreement. Prof. Karani affirmed that she would liase with relevant parties at the University of Nairobi upon her return. She also agreed to a joint meeting with Mr. Grothus on the following day.

During the meeting with Prof. Karani and Mr. Grothus on the following day, Wednesday 7 October 1998, most of the above was reiterated. Both expressed their strong support for the student exchange. Prof. Karani emphasised her support by pointing out her own difficulties with establishing much wanted collaborations with German universities especially in a subject like physics. Mr. Grothus praised the University of Nairobi which he sees as the top university in Africa. For that reason DAAD substantially supports the University of Nairobi. Part of this support is also giving Kenyan students the opportunity to visit a German university. Prof. Karani and Mr. Grothus were delighted that now also Germans study at the University of Nairobi. This represents a contribution to make the educational links between both countries truly mutual. Mr. Grothus furthermore made clear that DAAD funding for Kenyans to visit a German university is limited to postgraduate students. Postgraduate students would be very welcomed do conduct practicals or research at the Freie Universität Berlin. I presented the revised cooperation agreement and Prof. Karani as well as Mr. Grothus agreed to the changes which have been made. I agreed to write to the relevant parties involved to inform them about the outcome of our meetings and to mention Prof. Karani's kind offer to actively take part in achieving the signing of the cooperation agreement.

On a personal note, the three meetings with Prof. Karani and Mr. Grothus highly motivated me to continue the efforts of building a true cooperation between the University of Nairobi and the Freie Universität Berlin. Their strong support felt like a great relief after having struggled through many crises concerning the signing of the cooperation agreement. It was the best meeting I ever had regarding the Berlin-Nairobi Physics Student Exchange.

I would like to thank very much my former internship supervisor Dr. Mary-Louise Kearney at the Division of Higher Education at UNESCO and Head of the Unit for the World Conference on Higher Education for inviting me to the conference, for providing me with a generous travel allowance and for giving me the opportunity to assist during the conference.

Closing ceremony at the World Conference on Higher Education at UNESCO in Paris from 5th to 9th October 1998. (Photo: J. Theiss)

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