Dar Es Salaam, 08/08/2024: From July 22 to 24, 2024, the DAAD Project Leader Conference took place at the Delta Hotel in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Representatives of university cooperation projects from Germany and their partner institutions in the Global South took part in the event, which aimed to strengthen the role of universities in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and promote knowledge exchange.
Discussion panel and key messages
A central item on the program was the panel “Educating tomorrow’s leaders to pioneer sustainable development – the role of academia“. The discussion was chaired by Professor Kay Pfaffenberger from CBTA. Panelists included Professor Daniel Agyapong from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Professor Esther Ishengoma from the University of Dar es Salaam Business School in Tanzania, Professor Jan Kratzer from the Technical University of Berlin in Germany, Melvine Otieno, founder of the Planetary Health Eastern Africa Hub in Kenya, and Professor Ayobami Salami, Vice Chancellor of the First Technical University in Nigeria.
Pfaffenberger’s closing words “Inspire one youth to be better than you!” were well received by the participants and underlined the importance of individual responsibility in education.
Presentation of the CÉSAR project
Another important item on the program was the presentation of the CÉSAR project by Jacquline Searle from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and Laudika Kandjinga from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). The CÉSAR project aims to promote cooperation between universities in Africa and Germany and to improve the quality of education in the participating countries. This initiative shows how international partnerships can concretely contribute to the implementation of the SDGs by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Networking and exchange
The conference offered numerous opportunities for networking and sharing experiences. In various sessions and thematic working groups, participants were able to present their projects and learn from each other. Particular attention was paid to current challenges and success strategies in higher education in the context of global sustainability goals.
Conclusion
The DAAD Project Leaders’ Conference in Dar Es Salaam was an important step towards strengthening international cooperation in higher education. It highlighted the central role of higher education institutions in promoting sustainable development and provided a valuable platform for the exchange and networking of projects and partners. The contributions and projects presented, such as CÉSAR, showed that sustainable change can be achieved through joint efforts and the use of education.