How can universities strengthen their role as responsible and responsive social actors through engagement, collaboration and knowledge transfer in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals? And how do different historical, political, social and cultural contexts shape this kind of engagement? During a symposium lasting several days at the University of Oldenburg, academics from Nelson Mandela University, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM, Tanzania) and Oldenburg explored new ways of addressing these questions. During a panel discussion, Prof. Katharina Al-Shamery, Vice-President for International Affairs at the University of Oldenburg, Prof. Muki Moeng, DVC for Learning and Teaching at Nelson Mandela University, and Dr Merezia Wilson Bambaganya, who represented the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research at UDSM, examined different conceptual understandings of engagement and the institutional structures underpinning SDG-related engagement work within their respective universities.

The Director of the Centre for Community Technologies at Nelson Mandela University, Professor Darelle van Greunen, has been appointed Research Advisor for the research area ‘Reliable Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence’ at the University of Oldenburg. As part of the University of Oldenburg’s RAIN programme (Research Advisor for International Networking), Professor van Greunen will work in tandem with Professor Karsten Speck. The appointment is intended to create new opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Africa and Europe, expand international research networks and open up avenues for PhD students and early-career researchers to participate in the globally networked scientific community.

Further Information: RAIN-Programmme

A delegation from the University of Oldenburg, comprising Prof. Katharina Al-Shamery (Vice-President for Academic Careers, Equal Opportunities and International Affairs), the University of Oldenburg’s ambassador to NMU, Prof. Karsten Speck, Jenka Schmidt (Head of the International Office), Dr Anne Clausen (Research and Transfer Unit) and Dr Philipp Baur (International Affairs Officer), travelled to Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha in May for strategic discussions.

The focus of the several-day visit was on strengthening the long-standing, close partnership between the two institutions. In addition to in-depth cooperation discussions with various departments, during which concrete initiatives for research and teaching were further developed, meetings also took place at the presidential level. Both universities reaffirmed their commitment to broadening their successful strategic cooperation even further in the future.

Congratulations to Prof. Jorge Marx Gómez on his successful inaugural lecture at the Department of Computer Sciences.

In his lecture, he highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in sustainable development, emphasising innovative areas of research that are shaping the future of technology and addressing real-world sustainability challenges.

The collaboration between the two departments, which is largely shaped and promoted by figures such as Jorge Marx Gómez, is one of many successful examples of cooperation between the two universities.

In May, Nelson Mandela University and the University of Oldenburg organised two joint workshops on research funding, co-hosted by Dr Anne Clausen (Research and Transfer Unit) and Prof. Karsten Speck (Oldenburg’s ambassador for the existing partnership). The Vice-President for Academic Careers, Equal Opportunities and International Affairs, Prof. Katharina Al-Shamery, was an active guest of honour at both events and shared her many years of expertise as a reviewer for numerous funding organisations with the participants.

Over 80 participants attended the interactive International Research Funding Workshop for early-career researchers. Topics included international third-party funding, mentorship and the role of science communication in research effectiveness, funding and career development. A highlight was the panel discussion ‘Science up close’ with early-career researchers discussing their experiences of resilience in research. The event also marked the official launch of the newly founded Postdoctoral and Research Fellows Society at Mandela University.

The programme was complemented by an intensive workshop which, as part of the Mandela Imvuselelo Professors Programme (MIPP), offered targeted support to around 30 advanced postdocs. Participants explored transdisciplinary research approaches, identified international partners and prepared concrete project proposals for African and European funding bodies.

Both workshops promoted low-threshold exchange, networking and culturally sensitive advice to strengthen international research careers in the long term.

From 20 to 23 May 2025, Prof. Rebecca Palm and Johanna Seiters from the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Oldenburg visited the Nursing Department of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The aim of the visit was to strengthen existing ties and to initiate long-term cooperation in the areas of teaching, research and student mobility within the local Advanced Nursing Practice programme. Through expert discussions, presentations and visits to teaching and healthcare facilities, areas of mutual interest were identified and initial steps were agreed upon for student exchanges, as well as for future joint research and funding projects to advance nursing science.

From April 26 to 30, School IV (Humanities and Social Sciences), in cooperation with the DiViAS research network, welcomed Prof. Pamela Maseko, Executive Dean of the School of Humanities at Nelson Mandela University, to Oldenburg. She was accompanied by David Bester (Department of Music) and the Head of the Department of Philosophy, Dr Karabo Maiyane. In addition to project presentations and discussions on future opportunities for cooperation, the main aim of the visit was to take part in a joint research workshop on the topic of maritime history.

On 28 and 29 April, the University of Oldenburg and the University of Bremen – which are jointly striving for the title of ‘University of Excellence’ as part of the Northwest Alliance – will undergo an international evaluation on the University of Bremen campus, featuring presentations, campus tours and in-depth discussions. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sibongile Muthwa is supporting the visit with her wide-ranging expertise, speaking from the perspective of one of Oldenburg’s key international cooperation partners. The University of Oldenburg and the Northwest Alliance are delighted to have this visible support.

More informationen about the Northwest Alliance

More information about the strategic partnership

Getting to know the diversity of the University of Oldenburg and gathering new ideas for future collaborative work – these were some of the objectives of the visit by Prof. Judy Peter (Senior Director of the International Office) and Leolyn Jackson (Manager for International Partnerships) from the International Office at Nelson Mandela University. Both guests met with colleagues from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Centre for Transformation and Sustainable Futures (TRUST@UOL) and the Innovation Campus at the University of Oldenburg, amongst others. In addition to presentations by the departments, the visit focused primarily on mutual exchange, which is to be pursued with the aim of further strengthening and expanding the trusting cooperation between the two institutions.  

Nelson Mandela University has appointed Dr Grace Naledi Madisa Pandor as the successor to its long-serving Chancellor, Dr Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi. Dr Pandor, a former South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, serves as the university’s Chancellor since 1 April 2026, initially for a four-year term. In the South African education system, the Chancellor of a university fulfils a representative and ceremonial role. Prof. Sibongile Muthwa is responsible for the day-to-day management of Nelson Mandela University.

Further information

Amanda Wein, a member of staff and PhD student at the Chair of Digitalised Energy Systems (Prof. Astrid Nieße), spent March on a research visit at Nelson Mandela University. In addition to several exchange meetings with lecturers and students, various topics for future collaboration were identified. There are also plans to jointly develop project proposals and to expand the existing cooperation between Oldenburg and Mandela University to include the field of energy informatics in future. 

Krystoffer Dreps, lecturer at Oldenburg's Institute of Music, visited Mandela University in February on a trip funded by the UOL | NMU funding programme. The trip was designed to familiarise participants with different local language and singing cultures in order to complete the composition "Lich(t)//Ligh(t)", which is being created for the joint project between the choirs from Oldenburg and the George Campus of Mandela University, in a culturally competent and technically precise manner. Another highlight of the trip was a visit to the indigenous Griekwa community near Plettenberg Bay. During this visit, an excerpt from the composition was presented to the King of the Griekwa, Paramount Chief Alan Andrew le Fleur.

The East and South African-German Centre of Excellence for Educational Research and Management (CERM-ESA), established in southern Africa in collaboration with three partner universities and Nelson Mandela University and funded by the DAAD, has now been in existence for 12 years. The annual newsletter reports on joint events that have taken place, introduces new scholarship holders and reports on current activities at the centre at Moi University. Between February and April 2026, some of the DAAD-funded scholarship holders from Kenya will once again be at Oldenburg's Department of Educational Sciences to work on their master's or doctoral projects. 

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In recognition of his many years of academic service, Prof. Jorge Marx Goméz was recently awarded an honorary professorship at Nelson Mandela University. Prof. Marx Goméz has close ties to the university through a wide range of projects and activities in the field of business informatics. His tireless commitment was honoured with the title of honorary professorship (Prof. h.c.) during an international conference in South Africa. The honorary professorship will begin in 2026 and will initially run for five years. The award recognises the long-standing collaboration between the Computing Sciences Department at the NMU and the Department of Computing Science at the University of Oldenburg, which has been ongoing since 2008. The cooperation between the departments is one of the key elements of the partnership between the two universities. This prestigious award from Nelson Mandela University is the first of its kind for a member of the University of Oldenburg.