The Aga Khan University (AKU) recently welcomed a delegation from Maynooth University (MU) to its Nairobi campus as part of continued engagement under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024. The agreement established a shared framework for collaboration in research, academic mobility, and knowledge exchange.
The visit brought together senior leadership from AKU, MU, and the Aga Khan Development Network, including AKU's Pro-Chancellor Princess Zahra Aga Khan; Trustee Amin Mawji; AKU President Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin; and MU President Professor Eeva Leinonen. The engagement also included representatives from AKDN across the region.
In addition to University-level discussions, the delegation visited Aga Khan Schools and participated in a dedicated session on AKDN health systems across East Africa. These engagements provided broader insight into the ethical and community-rooted framework within which AKU operates. Conversations highlighted how AKDN's long-standing presence in the region across education, health, and development informs the University's approach to partnership: locally grounded, institutionally integrated, and responsive to regional priorities.
Leadership discussions focused on areas of shared academic interest, including health systems, climate and sustainability, digital innovation in health and education, and inclusive higher education. Particular attention was given to how mobility initiatives — including activities under the Erasmus+ STEADY programme — can be aligned with research themes that reflect both regional needs and international collaboration.
For Maynooth University, the visit offered a clearer understanding of how academic engagement at AKU connects closely with service delivery systems and community-facing institutions. For AKU, it reinforced the importance of partnerships built on mutual learning, ethical engagement, and sustained institutional dialogue.
What began in 2024 as a new international agreement has evolved into a more focused and structured collaboration. The Nairobi visit clarified priorities, strengthened coordination mechanisms, and set direction for the continued development of the partnership grounded in shared expertise and long-term engagement.
