SPEAKERS
9th – 11th September 2025 | Kampala, Uganda
Keynote Speakers
Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona is the 5th Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), an institution of the East African Community. With over a decade of extensive experience in higher education, he has contributed significantly to the development and management of both national and regional educational policies. Throughout his career, Professor Banyankimbona has held various higher education leadership roles, including Vice-Chancellor of the University of Burundi; Permanent Secretary and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Burundi. In these capacities, he played a key role in shaping higher education reforms, driving policy development, and coordinating and implementing various higher education and research projects across the region. His diverse leadership experience, coupled with his expertise in higher education and research, positions him as a prominent advocate for the advancement of higher education in East Africa, Africa and beyond. Prof. Banyankimbona is a Professor of Biology at the University of Burundi, where he continues to contribute to academic excellence.
Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona
Executive Secretary
Professor Mary J. N. Okwakol is the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education. She was the founding Vice Chancellor of Busitema University, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Gulu University, and previously served at Makerere University where she rose to full Professor of Zoology. She has also held leadership roles in several regional and international higher education bodies, including AICAD, RUFORUM, the Inter-University Council for East Africa, and the Forum for African Women Vice Chancellors. Her work has extended to global research collaborations, where she has chaired international boards and committees under UNESCO, GEF/UNEP, focusing on biodiversity, soil science, and sustainable land use.
Beyond academia, Professor Okwakol has served on numerous national, regional and international boards, councils, and professional organizations in the fields of education, environment, wildlife, and science. She is currently Chairperson of the Forum of CEOS of National Councils/Commissions for Higher Education in East Africa. Her contributions have earned her multiple awards and recognitions. A Zoology scholar specializing in Ecology, she holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in Zoology from Makerere University, as well as an honorary doctorate from Josai International University in Japan. She is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society of London and the Uganda National Academy of Sciences. Outside her professional life, Professor Okwakol is a wife, mother, and grandmother.
Prof. Mary J. N. Okwakol
Executive Director
Presenters
Prof. Mike Kuria is a seasoned higher education quality assurance expert with experience spanning institutional, national, regional, and international levels. At the institutional level, he served as Professor of Literature and Director of the Centre for Quality Assurance at Daystar University (2006–2016). Nationally, he is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission for University Education (CUE), where he has served since 2012. Regionally, he was the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) from 2016 to 2022. Internationally, he has contributed to higher education initiatives with UNESCO, the German Development Bank (KfW), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the British Council, and the World Bank. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Leeds, UK, and is also an active academic and researcher.
Prof. Kuria envisions a truly transformational, liberating, and internationally recognised East African Common Higher Education Area, firmly anchored in the ideals of the East African Community. At this conference, he will chair the session “East African Common Higher Education: The Past, The Present and the Future” and present on “Quality Assurance and Accreditation Systems in East Africa.”
Prof. Mike Kuria (PhD)
CEO
Commission for University Education
Kenya
Professor Charles Domminick Kihampa is a distinguished academic and leader in higher education quality assurance. Currently, he is the Executive Secretary for the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) since January 2018. In March 2024, he was elected as the President of the African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN), underscoring his expertise and influence in advancing educational standards across Africa. Additionally, he is the Chairman of the Quality Assurance Committee of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). In 2020, he served as the Chairman of the Technical Committee for Certification and Accreditation of Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Prof. Kihampa holds multiple key leadership roles, including Chairman of the Tanzania Chemical Society (TCS), Board Member of the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), and a member of the Board of Directors of the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Scholarships at the Bank of Tanzania. These positions highlight his broad contribution to education, research, and science in Tanzania and beyond.
Prof. Kihampa has extensive experience in quality assurance (QA) in higher education, particularly through his leadership roles and contribution to academic and institutional development. He has played a pivotal role in policy formulation and implementation aimed at upholding and improving academic standards, that include institutional quality audits and programme accreditation processes, ensuring compliance with both national and international benchmarks, development and review of accreditation standards, and the creation of quality assurance frameworks to guide Tanzanian universities.
Before joining TCU in January 2018, Professor Kihampa worked with Ardhi University (ARU) in Tanzania as an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Science and Technology, where he also held different administrative posts as the Dean at the School of Environmental Science and Technology, and Director of Undergraduate Programmes in which he also led the Secretariat of the University Senate, demonstrating his commitment to academic governance and excellence.
Throughout his academic career, Prof. Kihampa has made significant contributions to education and research, training and supervising more than 20 master’s and PhD students. His participation and presentations at various national and international forums on quality assurance in higher education underscore his dedication to fostering academic excellence and continuous improvement.
Prof. Charles Domminick Kihampa
Executive Secretary
Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU)
Tanzania
Prof. Leonidas NDAYIZEYE holds a PhD in Economics with a specialization in International Economics. He has held several leadership positions at the University of Burundi, including Deputy Director of the University Works Board, Vice Dean and later Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management, and Head of the Department of Political Economy. He also coordinated the Master’s program in Economic Analysis and Development. Beyond academia, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Commercial Bank of Burundi (BANCOBU) and chairs the Scientific Committee of the Economic and Monetary Review of the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB). Since February 2023, he has been the Permanent Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Higher Education in Burundi and is a member of the Standing Committee on Quality Assurance at the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA).
Prof. Leonidas Ndayizeye
Permanent Executive Secretary
National Commission for Higher Education
Burundi
Professor Bonaventure Rutinwa holds the degrees of Bachelor of Law (Hons) (University of Dar es Salaam), Master of Laws (Queen’s University, Canada) and Bachelor Civil Law (BCL) and Doctor of Philosophy in Law (DPhil) of the University of Oxford UK. He has served as a tenured member of academic staff at the University of Dar es Salaam for 38 years where he held various leadership positions including as Deputy-Vice Chancellor responsible for academic affairs, Dean of the School of Law, Chief Corporate Counsel and Secretary to Council of the University, Chairman of the University Tender Board, Director of the International Migration Programme, and Coordinator of the Centre for the Study of Forced Migration. Professor Rutinwa has also served as Chair or member of Councils or Governing Boards of more than five Universities and other institutions of higher learning.
Professor Rutinwa has served as lead expert for harmonisation of sectoral laws in regional blocks. Commissioned projects of this nature which he has carried out include Harmonisation of Immigration and Population and Migration Policies in Southern Africa (SADC, 2002); Harmonisation of Employment Policies in the East African Community (2004) Harmonisation of Immigration Legislation in COMESA States (COMESA/EU 2011) and EAC Common Refugee Management Policy (EAC, ongoing). Currently he is the Chairperson of the Committee appointed by the Tanzania Commission of Universities to review the Tanzania Universities Acct 2005.
Prof. Bonaventure Rutinwa
Professor of Law
University of Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
Prof. Meshack Obonyo is the Senior Principal, at IUCEA, currently leading the Partnerships, Exchange and Linkages docket. In this role, he manages diverse regional and international partnerships, fostering collaboration between higher Education Institutions and development partners to advance the East African Community’s higher education integration agenda. He has previously served as the Coordinator of the World Bank–supported Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE II) Project, targeting agricultural support towards Centres in Malawi and Mozambique under the Agricultural Financing phase. Prof. Obonyo spearheads the IUCEA regional staff mobility and scholarship initiatives, including the newly birthed EAC Student Mobility Scheme (EAC-SMS). These programs have and will continue to expand opportunities for higher learning, training, skills acquisition, research collaboration, knowledge exchange across EAC Partner States, and beyond. His work contributes directly to the realization of the East African Common Higher Education Area (EACHEA) through a) Facilitation of academic mobility (students and staff), thereby operationalizing the Intra-Africa mobility pillar of the CHEA. b) Policy engagement and evidence generation, providing stakeholders with data and analysis on cross-border education, mobility flows, and systemic barriers. c) Harmonization of curricula and qualifications frameworks, ensuring comparability and mutual recognition of academic programs. d) Strengthening quality assurance systems, including peer-review processes for the regional accreditation.
Professor Obonyo brings two decades of specialized experience in higher education policy, leadership, and research across East and Southern Africa. His career spans key sectors including government of Kenya, international research institutions, and both public and private universities, providing a unique ability to translate academic research into actionable policy. His technical leadership and expertise continue to shape regional initiatives that underpin the EAC’s vision of a fully functional Common Higher Education Area. He holds a Ph.D from the Northwest University, South Africa, and specializes in fostering collaboration, resource mobilisation, capacity-building initiatives, and advancing quality assurance systems in higher education institutions.
Prof. Meshack Obonyo
Senior Principal, Partnerships, Exchange and Linkages
Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)
Dr. Alice Wairimu Kande is the Director General and CEO of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), a position she holds since December 2022. With over two decades experience in education and senior management, she is recognized for her ethical leadership and has been ranked among the top 25 Chief Executive Officers in Kenya for leading business with ethics and integrity in a January 2025 publication by Business Monthly Magazine, East African Edition.
Dr. Kande holds a Bachelor of Education and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), both from Kenyatta University. She earned her Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on Strategic Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). She is a member of the Kenya Institute of Management and the Academy of International Business – Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter.
Dr. Kande’s career spans academia, research and public administration where she has lectured in renowned universities in Kenya such as Moi University, Jomo Kenyatta University and Riara University where she served in the later as the founding Head of the Business Department. She has worked as a senior researcher at the Commission for University Education. Under her leadership, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority has achieved significant milestones such as receiving the Wage Bill Accountability Award from H.E. President William Ruto, the president of the Republic of Kenya during the Third National Wage event. Further, she was recently being elected to the Troika presidency of the Africa Continental Qualifications Framework Network which includes the South Africa and Zambia Qualifications Authorities.
Dr. Alice Kande
Director General and CEO
Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)
Kenya
Prof. Mabel Imbuga is a Prof. of Biochemistry and the immediate former Vice Chancellor (VC) of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), a Public University in Kenya, well known for its leading role in Agriculture, Science, Technology and Innovation on the African Continent. She held this position for ten years. Prof. Imbuga was the first female Vice Chancellor of JKUAT and the second Female Vice Chancellor in Kenya. She is involved in capacity building and held several positions both Nationally and Internationally such as Chairperson Regional University Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Member of Pan African University Council, Board Member Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Co-Chair The Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA), Chairperson of Inter University Council for Eastern Africa (IUCEA) and Board Member University of Namibia (UNAM).
She is the immediate Chairperson of the Board for National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) a position she held for three years and also completed her term as a member of Council Pan African University (PAU) of The African Union Commission (AUC).
Prof Imbuga has been one of the Jury members of L’Oreal – UNESCO For Women in Science Awards (FWIS) for over (7) years and was also jury member for the African Union Kwame Nkurumah Awards for Scientific Excellence. She is currently a member of the High-Level Advisory Panel (HLAP) of the National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). Prof Imbuga has been at the forefront of mentoring women in Science and Engineering as well as advising and encouraging them in Academia and Research. She is the founder and immediate past president of the African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE) and former Director of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) representing the English-Speaking Africa. She is also the founder member and first President of Forum for African Women Vice Chancellors (FAWOVC), a continental body that represents female Vice Chancellors of Universities in Africa.
Prof. Imbuga has received several awards including the Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Certificate of Recognition for outstanding contribution to the institutional growth of IUCEA when she served as Chairperson of the Executive Committee from 2012 to 2014. In 2018, she received an Honorary Doctorate from Cardiff Metropolitan University. She received a recognition award from RUFORUM in 2019 for her excellent leadership and management, contributing to the advancement and transformation of University Education in Kenya and Africa. She also received an achievement award for excelling in research, training and management from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) during their golden jubilee celebrations in October 2020.
Prof. Mabel Opanda Imbuga
Former Vice Chancellor (VC)
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
Kenya
Ernest Mwebaze has had a dual career in academia and in industry. He possesses over 10 years of teaching experience in computer science and machine learning. While at Makerere University he co-found- ed the Makerere University Artificial Intelligence research lab leading it to prominence in the field of practical implementation and deployment of artificial intelligence solutions.
In industry, he has worked at the Google AI research Lab in Ghana and the UN Pulse lab in Kampala where he focused on practical applications of artificial intelligence to tackle developmental challenges in agriculture, utility estimation and different focus areas of the SDGs. He is passionate about using artificial intelligence to improve society particularly in developing parts of the world. He is currently the executive director of Sunbird AI.
Dr. Ernest Mwebaze
Executive Director
Sunbird AI
Uganda
Prof Celestino Obua (MD, MSc, PhD) is a Medical Doctor and a Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. He is the current Chairperson, Board of Directors, Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB); The Chairperson, Board of the National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) – Uganda; a Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (FUNAS); Founding Member of the Uganda Pharmacological Society (UPharS); Board member, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) as Alternate Chair representing Academia; the Director of the Alpha Center for Research Administration (ACRA); and the immediate former Vice Chancellor, Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Prof Obua has been the Principal Investigator/MPI and mentor on several research grants at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). Currently he leads ongoing research focusing on building capacity for implementation science research in Non-Communicable Diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, alcohol use disorders and suicide prevention. The other research focus is in HIV, specifically, prevention, care and research towards supplementing the national efforts in the fight against HIV, and the promotion of anti-sexual harassment and response in the research environment.
He has worked as a medical doctor and medical educator for over 40 years where he has mentored and provided leadership in several research projects at Makerere University and MUST on drug use studies at community levels and in the health facilities, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies on antimalarials and ARVs, natural products especially herbal medicines, health systems and higher education. Over the years, he has provided funding support to over 200 graduate students and fellows, and supervised/mentored over 30 graduate students including 12 PhDs and four postdoctoral fellows at MUST and Makerere University leading to over 140 publications. He has delivered several keynote speeches and made several national and international conference presentations. He is peer reviewer for several international journals and chaired the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) for clinical trials on drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
Prof. Celestino Obua
Medical Doctor and a Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Former Vice Chancellor
Mbarara University of Science & Technology
Prof. Paul Muoki Nzioki is the President of the East Africa Higher Education Quality Assurance Network (EAQAN) and an Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance. He serves as the Dean, School of Business and Economics at Murang’a University of Technology, Kenya. He is a Board Member of the Kenya Universities Quality Assurance Network (KuQAn). Between the year 2007 and 2008, Prof. Nzioki was trained as a Quality Assurance Practitioner by DAAD and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). This was the first of its kind training in East Africa that introduced the concept of structured quality assurance in higher education within the region. Since then, Prof. Nzioki has been instrumental in setting up Directorates of Quality Assurance at various universities in Kenya. On numerous occasions, Prof. Nzioki has facilitated trainings of Quality Assurance Directors within the East African region. Prof. Nzoki has widely been engaged by the Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya and the IUCEA, as a Peer Reviewer during accreditation of academic programmes and institutions. He has notable contribution in policy framework guiding quality assurance in higher education in Kenya and in the harmonization of higher education within the East African Community. Under IUCEA, he has participated in development and/ or validation of The Handbooks for Quality Assurance – Roadmap to Quality Volumes 1 to 5, Subject Benchmarks for Bachelor of Business Related Studies (2013), Principles and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education in East Africa (2014), East African Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (2015), Standards and Guidelines for Postgraduate Studies in East African (2018), and the EAC Regional Programme Accreditation Framework (between 2021 and 2022).
Prof. Paul Muoki Nzioki
President
East Africa Higher Education Quality Assurance Network (EAQAN)
Kenya
Prof. Silas Lwakabamba is an engineer, academic leader, and former government minister with over four decades of experience in higher education and public service across East Africa. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leeds (1975) and has served as Vice-Chancellor of the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and the National University of Rwanda, where he spearheaded institutional reforms and capacity development. He also served as Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Education, where he contributed to national policy on STEM, infrastructure, and higher education. Prof Lwakabamba has also served on various international boards, including UNESCO, IUCEA, and the Varkey Foundation’s Atlantis Group, and is widely recognized for his contribution to regional integration, education harmonization, and the advancement of STEM in Africa. Since 2021, Prof. Lwakabamba has been the Regional Managing Director of Coventry University Africa Hub in Kigali, overseeing strategic partnerships, research, innovation, and capacity-building across the continent.
Prof. Silas Lwakabamba
Former Vice-Chancellor
Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)
Rwanda
Fr. Dr. Jean-Bosco Baribeshya is a Catholic Priest belonging to Ruhengeri Diocese in Rwanda. He has 22 years’ experience in leadership, formation, and formal education. He holds PhD in Philosophy of Mind with a research thesis entitled “The Brain-Mind Interaction in John Calew Eccles”. He has also a Master’s degree from the University of The Holy Cross in Rome, Italy, in Science and Metaphysics and a MA in Entrepreneurship and Development with specialization in Developing Countries. He is an Alumnus of Acton Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He did his priestly formation in both Rwanda and Zambia. Fr. Baribeshya served as a priest in Rwanda, Italy and Germany. He conducted research in education and culture as a lecturer of Philosophy of Religion. He is the author of various articles and books among which, The Brain-Mind Interaction In John Calew Eccles, My Journey to Priesthood: Humanity is Mercy, and Kuraguza and Guterekera: Its Past and Its Future. He is now the Vice-Chancellor of INES-Ruhengeri, an Institute of Applied Sciences, one of the leading private Universities in Rwanda.
Fr. Dr. Jean-Bosco Baribeshya
Vice Chancellor
INES – RUHENGERI
Rwanda
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, is a Professor of Forestry Resource Economics and holds a PhD degree in Forest Management from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia. He has over 25 years’ experience of University research and teaching in the field of Forestry and Natural Resource Economics. He has grown though the University service to the rank of Full Professor (Oct. 2010) at Makerere University. Currently, he is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs). He is responsible for overseeing programmes and policies that promote academic excellence in the University.
Prof. Buyinza has built a very strong international network of collaborations in research administration. He is a member of the Society for Research Administration International. He has acted as Principal investigator (PI) to about 15 International multi-institutional research projects including the Makerere-Sweden bilateral research programmes, 2010 – 2022 worthy USD$ 100 million;
His research interests include forest resources economics, ecosystem health and community livelihoods where he has published widely. He has held important positions within the administration of Makerere University and Chaired several national, regional and international boards of professional organisations include the Board of Directors of the Uganda National Forestry Authority.
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs)
Makerere University
Uganda
Prof. Leonard J. Mselle, is a senior academic member of staff at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the University of Dodoma (UDOM). Prof. Mselle is a renowned world-class researcher in the areas of computer programming, program visualization, programming languages, e-Learning and cyber security. He has published six books in the areas of computer programming and program visualization. Prof. Mselle is the inventor of the Memory Transfer Language (MTL), an artificial language used for learning and teaching programming in both low and high level languages. Prof. Mselle has presented and published more than 45 scientific papers in various conferences and international journals. Prof. Mselle was chairman of the team (assembled by TCU in 2019) to develop a Benchmark for Bachelor’s Degree Programmes in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cluster (ICT2023-T).
Mselle joined the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) in 1991 as assistant lecturer. From 1998-2001 he was ICT officer at Unicef Office, Tanzania. From 2001-2009 he was instructor (lecturer) and
coordinator of ICT Directorate at Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Rwanda. From 2013-2019 Prof. Mselle was Dean, School of Virtual Education at the University of Dodoma (UDOM). From 2019-2023, he was Principal College of Informatics and Virtual Education at CIVE-UDOM. From 2022-2025 he served on the Board of ICT Commission as its Chairperson. Prof. Mselle is currently adviser to Qsoft Company engaged in digitalization of education in Tanzania
Prof. Leonard J. Mselle
Senior Academic Staff Member
University of Dodoma
Benard Mono is a development financing expert with over 25 years experience during which he managed most of the critical functions in development banking including Finance, Treasury and Business Development. Benard was appointed by the Board of Directors as the Bank’s Acting Director General since 1st January 2025. His substantive position has been the EADB’s Head of Finance since July 2018. Prior to joining EADB, Benard held various senior management positions in a national development financing institution in Tanzania including Treasurer position where he oversaw growth of income from treasury operations and well managed liquidity, interest rate and foreign exchange risks. He was eventually assigned a bigger role as Director of Finance, Treasury and Operations where he provided leadership to the Finance department, the Treasury department and Operations department which oversaw network of bank branches and treasury back-office operations and, once again, attaining improved controls and income growth. He also handled institutional transformation projects in addition to leading finance team to win several awards for Best Presented Financial Statements administered by the National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA).
Benard has also served as a Board Member in financial institutions in Tanzania and chaired the Board of one of the institutions, overseeing improved governance and performance. He has actively participated Southern African Development Community’s Development Finance Resource Centre (SADC-DFRC) and the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI) events thereby gaining tremendous experience in managing the development financing operations. Benard is a Certified Public Accountant and holds Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University, Australia and Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Dar Es salaam, Tanzania.
Mr. Bernard Paul Mono
Ag. Director General
East African Development Bank (EADB) – Kampala
Uganda
Stefan Bienefeld is Head of Division P2, Transnational Education and Cooperation Programmes at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) since 2020. Mr. Bienefeld holds a degree in psychology from the University of Bielefeld, Germany. He worked for the German Rectors Conference, the national Association of German universities, as a programm manager on issues linked to the Bologna process and as a head of a project dealing with Quality Assurance in Germany and Europe prior to joining DAAD in 2009. In the same year 2009 he started at DAAD as head of division 435, responsible for large scale university cooperation programmes between German universities and partner HEIs in developing countries as well as programmes for the worldwide mobility of German university teaching staff. From 2011 to 2015 he was head of division 43 and in this capacity held the responsibility for all DAAD programmes with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, including financial and strategic issues with the Ministry as well as cooperation with external partners such as GIZ, KfW, UNESCO, the World Bank and civil society organizations. From 2015 to 2019 he was head of division P3, Development Co-operation and transregional programmes dealing with project funding programmes in development cooperation, alumni, German studies and the German language as well as research mobility.
Mr Stefan Bienefeld
Head of Division P2, Transnational Education and Cooperation Programmes
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
German
Dr. Okoth is a distinguished scientist and scientific research and innovation manager, with experience spanning over 30 years. He holds PhD in Medical Entomology and Parasitology; Master of Science in Entomology; and Bachelor of Education (Science) in Botany and Zoology of Kenyatta University. In addition, Dr Okoth holds Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI). He has wide experience and training in research and development (R&D) in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and has worked in several organizations locally and regionally. His interests are in vector transmitted zoonotic infections of Tropical Neglected Diseases (NTDs). He has researched and published widely on teste fly population genetics, and transmission dynamics of trypanosomiasis in humans and livestock under various farming and settlement systems. He has held several positions at national and regional levels, including being the Institute Director of Biotechnology Research Institute, and the Centre Director of the Biotechnology Research Centre of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO); Deputy Regional Coordinator of Lake Victoria Research Initiative (VicRes) program of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA); Head of Department of Scientific Research and Development at the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO); and Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Projects and Programs at EASTECO. Currently Dr. Okoth is the Executive Secretary and the CEO of EASTECO.
Dr. Sylvance Okeyo Okoth
Executive Secretary (CEO)
East African Science and Technology Commission
Rwanda
Dr. Abdinur Sheikh Mohamud, Ph.D., is the Chairman of the Somali National Commission for Higher Education. He is a senior researcher and education consultant with extensive experience working with governmental and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Mohamud is also the author of the education book “Macallinkeen Allow Kaal.” He previously served as the Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education of Somalia in 2010–2011, during which he played a key role in shaping Somalia’s education policies in a post-conflict context. His research focuses on education in fragile states, development, conflict management, and countering violent extremism. Dr. Mohamud earned his doctorate in Educational Policy and Administration from Ohio University. He worked for more than two decades with the Ohio Department of Education before relocating to the Horn of Africa region, where he continues to contribute to strengthening education systems and advancing higher education.
Dr. Abdinur Sheikh Mohamud
Chairman
Somali National Commission for Higher Education
Somalia
Prof. Amandus P. Muhairwa is a Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania, where he currently serves as the Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for Planning, Finance, and Administration. He obtained his Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from SUA in 1992 and a PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2001. His doctoral work investigated the epidemiology of Pasteurella multocida in free-ranging local chickens and their contact animals, exploring pathogen dynamics among village livestock in Tanzania. With more than 28 years of experience in teaching, clinical practice, and research, Prof. Muhairwa has educated and mentored generations of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. His scholarly contributions are extensive, with over 70 publications in international peer-reviewed journals, covering fields such as animal diseases, poultry health, zoonotic infections, and antimicrobial resistance. He has also presented his work at more than ten international and national scientific conferences, fostering global academic exchange.
Beyond teaching and research, Prof. Muhairwa has demonstrated strong leadership in higher education and the veterinary profession. He has served as Clinician in Charge of the SUA Veterinary Clinic, Deputy Director of Postgraduate Studies, Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, and Principal of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Since 2020, he has been the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Planning, Finance and Administration at SUA, overseeing strategic planning, financial management, and institutional governance. He also serves nationally as the Chairman of the Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency (TVLA) Ministerial Advisory Board. Prof. Muhairwa’s career has been marked by collaboration and service. He has worked with major international research initiatives supported by DANIDA, Wellcome Trust, USAID, and IFS, focusing on improving poultry health, livestock productivity, and rural livelihoods. As a mentor, leader, and researcher, he remains committed to advancing veterinary medicine and using science as a tool to address pressing challenges in animal and public health while shaping the future of higher education in Tanzania and beyond.
Prof. Amandus Pachificus Muhairwa
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Planning, Finance & Administration)
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Tanzania