University of Glasgow Connect

Meet Dr Mwapatsa Mipando

Our Dean for Global Engagement (DGE) for Sub-Saharan Africa is our first DGE based in Africa. Dr Mipando discusses our current partnerships with African institutions and invites interest from future partners.

I am a physiologist with a passion for building capacity and symbiotic partnerships with higher education institutions on the African continent. In my previous role at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) in Malawi, I partnered with the University of Glasgow (UofG) to deliver impactful collaborations that provided solutions to challenges that Africa faces. This included setting up research laboratories that are comparable to those in Glasgow as part of the Lasaka-Blantyre-Blantyre project - a collaboration between UofG, KUHeS and the University of Zambia. 

First Dean for Global Engagement based in Africa

Building on the existing relationship between UofG and KUHeS, I was recently appointed as Dean for Global Engagement responsible for Sub-Saharan Africa, at the University of Glasgow. My role is to help deliver the University's international strategy, Global Glasgow, through the development and strengthening of partnerships across the African region. I might be the first DGE for a European University who is based in Africa. This unique model assures that Glasgow is represented by somebody with first-hand knowledge of Africa and the cultural intelligence to form trustworthy partnerships with African institutions. It also demonstrates the values of the University of Glasgow, whereby we really listen to what our partners are saying.

Overview of the University of Glasgow’s partnerships in Africa

The University of Glasgow has links with institutions across Africa. The links include research partnerships, capacity strengthening activities, staff/student mobility agreements, and memorandums of understanding and agreement.

A recent mapping exercise revealed that during the period 2020–25, UofG had a minimum of 240 initiatives linked to 200 unique institutions, across 35 African countries. Twenty-two of our 23 schools, representing all four of Glasgow’s colleges, have links with Africa. The main thematic areas of collaboration between UofG and African institutions include:

• Health
• Capacity strengthening
• One Health
• Technology
• Education
• Community engagement
• Conservation
• Culture
• Food security
• Gender

African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA)

The University of Glasgow has a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding with ARUA with the purpose of developing research co-operation and to promote mutual understanding between the two parties. UofG is a founding member of The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. The Guild and ARUA recently launched the Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE), with equity as a cornerstone for addressing societal challenges. UofG currently co-leads two of the Africa-Europe CoREs whilst it’s a partner in three others. The areas of collaboration are:

• Advanced infectious diseases research and training (UofG co-leads)
• Non-communicable diseases and multimorbidity (UofG co-leads)
• Nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation (UofG is a partner)
• Food environment actions for the promotion of health (UofG is a partner)
• Genomics for health in Africa (UofG is a partner)

Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS)

The University of Glasgow has been collaborating with KUHeS for over 15 years. This collaboration resulted in the delivery of exemplary projects like the Blantyre-Blantyre Project and the MalDent Project. UofG and KUHeS together are part of the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU). UofG and KUHeS have jointly organised the popular African Immunology of Parasites, Pathogens, and Pathogenesis (AfrIBOP) training courses on two occasions. These intensive trainings are jointly organised with different African institutions like Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and KUHeS.

Collaborations for the future

I invite conversation with those, from Africa or with links to Africa, who are interested in forming equitable partnerships with the University of Glasgow as we work towards finding solutions to global challenges through collaborative research, joint academic programs, capacity building initiatives, community engagement and student mobility schemes.