Dr Daniel Mpolomoka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Dr Chrine Hapompwe, Director of Quality Assurance at ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University, participated in the workshop, gaining an increased awareness and greater understanding of the strategic importance and transformative role of AI and digital technologies in the modern higher education landscape through expert presentations, practical demonstrations, and interactive discussions.

With the theme of ‘Strategic Leadership for Digital Transformation, Research and Innovation in the Generative AI Era’, this workshop explored the operational benefits of effectively integrating AI and other digital technologies into existing workflows and processes within higher education institutions, while also facilitating new data-driven approaches to academia and administration, improving institutional efficiency, strengthening of the quality of teaching and learning, enhancing research productivity, as well as improving overall student experiences and increasing global competitiveness more broadly.

Furthermore, the workshop emphasised that ethical governance, institutional readiness, continuous staff development and training, as well as robust and secure data management systems are critical elements in ensuring that higher education institutions are able to meet these targets and achieve their strategic objectives.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University is dedicated to continuously elevating its standing, both nationally and globally, through its responsible and ethical integration of AI and other digital technologies across its academic and administrative operations, further refining its wide range of uniquely affordable, accessible, and flexible .

Committed to delivering quality higher education throughout the region, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University supports its students not only through the provision of generous and that promote academic and professional development and enhance career prospects, but also through participating in insightful and informative initiatives such as the HEA’s Winter School Workshop, in order to facilitate more engaging, interactive, and rewarding student experiences in the digital era.

Overall, this workshop proved immensely valuable, highlighting that the future success of Zambian higher education institutions will depend on their ability to strike a delicate, deliberate balance between technological advancements, academic integrity, human-centred leadership, and sustainable institutional development, with strategic visions grounded in responsible innovation becoming the differentiating factor in successfully navigating the higher education landscape in the age of AI and digital technologies.

As a youth-led leadership and civic engagement initiative, Emerge Zambia is dedicated to supporting the personal, academic, and professional development of Zambian youth across the country through learning initiatives that equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their future career aspirations, academic goals, and personal ambitions, a commitment shared by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University.

At the signing ceremony, key leadership and representative figures from both organisations were present, delivering remarks emphasising the objectives of this new partnership, including the provision of quality education, skills development, and youth and student empowerment. Representatives from Emerge Zambia included the organisation’s Director, Mr Bernard Munyoka, and Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, Ms Humairaa Khan and Mr Mthunzi Lupaka. On behalf of ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University, Dr Daniel Mpolomoka and Dr Attrige Mwelwa, Deputy Vice-Chancellors for Academics and Research respectively, and Dean of Students Ms Abigail Chalwe, also participated in the ceremony, alongside other valued members of the University’s Student Affairs and Marketing departments.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University remains dedicated to supporting young people in the achievement of their academic and professional goals, not only through a wide range of uniquely affordable and accessible and , but also through generous , comprehensive student support, and partnerships with forward-thinking organisations such as Emerge Zambia.

We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Emerge Zambia in the future as we continue to empower young people across Zambia in their pursuit of academic excellence, career fulfilment and personal growth.

Signed on 27 July 2026 at the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University campus in Lusaka, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to empowering individuals through education, leadership development, and lifelong learning.

As part of the agreement, members of the YouEngage Foundation and their immediate families will benefit from a generous towards eligible Bachelor’s and Master’s degree , enabling them to pursue qualifications while balancing their personal and professional commitments.

The collaboration will also create opportunities for specialised training workshops, webinars, and educational initiatives designed to support the personal and professional growth of YouEngage members.

The is a youth-focused organisation committed to developing Africa’s next generation of visionary leaders by creating environments that empower current and future generations to achieve sustained peace, stability, and security. Through initiatives that promote leadership, education, and community engagement, the Foundation continues to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people across the continent.

The partnership also recognises the importance of continuous learning in enhancing leadership capacity, workforce development, and employee productivity. Both organisations have expressed their commitment to developing flexible and accessible learning opportunities that meet the evolving needs of working professionals and aspiring leaders.

The successful signing of the Memorandum of Understanding marks an important milestone for both organisations and lays the foundation for a long-term collaboration that will empower individuals, strengthen communities, and create lasting educational impact across Zambia and beyond.

The major highlight of the event was the Hackathon Competition, which ran for three days as part of the Youth Summit. Working in teams, participants were tasked with developing innovative solutions focused on addressing real-world challenges in the energy and regulatory sectors.

By the end of the competition, three groups were chosen as top winners based on the innovation and impact of their proposed solutions, with ºÚÁÏÉçÇø sponsoring the top prize, which awarded KSh 100,000 to the winning team. This award was presented to the winners by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Kenya’s Country Manager Ms Winnie Rachael, alongside key EPRA leadership.

During the award presentation, Ms Rachael highlighted ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s mission of improving young people’s access to quality higher education through a wide range of affordable and flexible academic programmes, as well as generous scholarship opportunities, where students can obtain internationally recognised degrees via interactive and engaging learning methods facilitated by its state-of-the-art virtual learning environment in collaboration with ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s renowned university partners in the UK and Africa.

Through its participation in the 2026 EPRA Conference and its sponsorship of the Hackathon Competition winners, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing young people with greater access to higher education opportunities and learning initiatives to drive change both on a local and global scale through the fostering of innovative and sustainable solutions to real-world challenges.

At the summer school, Dr Elhami delivered a comprehensive module on qualitative methodology as a research approach, incorporating interactive and engaging academic sessions, activities, and guided student discussions, fostering the establishment of cross-institutional relationships with fellow participants, networking with fellow academics and researchers, and advancing ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s ongoing and future research agendas.

The insights gained, discussions held, and methodologies explored during this initiative have strengthened opportunities for future cross-institutional research collaborations, publications, and conference presentations. As a result, the global research presence of ºÚÁÏÉçÇø has been expanded, alongside a meaningful contribution to scholarly discourse worldwide. Dr Elhami also had the opportunity to highlight ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s mission of delivering uniquely affordable and flexible academic programmes, providing generous scholarship opportunities, and participating in global educational initiatives such as this.

At ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, we are committed to delivering innovative, student-centred learning while expanding access to educational opportunities for all, achieved not only through the provision of comprehensive student support and accessible, interactive learning facilitated by our state-of-the-art virtual learning environment, but also through our partnerships with leading universities in the UK and Africa. By studying with ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, students can earn internationally recognised degrees, enabling them to further their academic and professional development, in addition to their research goals, via a global perspective that enriches their overall learning experience.

The opportunity to deepen ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s academic ties, expand its network of international collaborators and partners, and further strengthen its unique profile in higher education internationally, in addition to the advancement of its research goals through joint research initiatives and collaborative academic programmes globally, is greatly appreciated and highly valued. We look forward to participating in similar initiatives in the future, supporting faculty involvement in other high-impact international academic events aimed at elevating ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s global standing and creating lasting institutional partnerships.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø is uniquely positioned to deliver on this objective through its affordable and flexible academic programmes. Generous scholarships allow our students to obtain an internationally recognised degree from one of our esteemed partner universities in the UK and Africa at a fraction of the cost, empowering them to achieve their professional ambitions with our comprehensive support.

These academic pursuits are facilitated by ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), our digital learning platform, where students can choose when and where they wish to study. This flexibility enables them to keep both their current professional and personal commitments in balance while they advance their studies.

The ceremony began with introductory remarks which emphasised the importance of developing new and existing strategic partnerships in order to drive greater access to education for working professionals and further strengthen the workforce. Key points discussed included the need for further education in enhancing productivity and leadership capacities, the demand on behalf of working professionals for flexible learning options and ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s distinct value proposition in its ability to deliver accessible and affordable internationally recognised programmes.

Senior representatives from both organisations were in attendance at the signing ceremony. DTB was represented by Mr Alkarim Jiwa, Group Finance and Strategy Director, Ms Lillian Ngala, Director of Human Resources and Mr Stephen Kodumbe, Director, Legal & Company Secretary. Representatives from ºÚÁÏÉçÇø included Ms Winnie Rachael, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Kenya’s Country Manager, Ms Sheila Omondi, Senior Marketing Officer and Ms Viona Ogol, Marketing Officer.

Through the signing of this MoU with DTB, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø reaffirms its commitment to expanding access to higher education for working professionals and further developing new and existing meaningful partnerships with leading organisations in the region.

The signing ceremony took place at the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø offices and brought together key representatives from both organisations, including District Governor Saad Rahaman (Rotary District 9215), District Governor Essay Yeyesok (Rotary District 9216), and Ms Winnie Rachel, Country Manager of ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, Kenya.

Through this partnership, eligible Rotary members and their immediate families will have the opportunity to pursue internationally recognised Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degree programmes online with generous ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Scholarships, making quality higher education more accessible and affordable.

Speaking during the ceremony, representatives from both organisations reaffirmed their shared commitment to empowering individuals through education and supporting lifelong learning, leadership development and professional advancement.

The event concluded with a networking session and photo opportunity, reinforcing the strong relationship between ºÚÁÏÉçÇø and Rotary Districts 9215 and 9216 while laying the foundation for future collaborative initiatives.

This partnership reflects ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s ongoing mission to remove barriers to higher education by working with respected organisations across Africa to provide flexible, affordable and internationally recognised academic opportunities that empower individuals and strengthen communities.

Present at the signing ceremony were Mr Prince Derick Hersch Omondi, KEPhSA Secretary General and Ms Viona Ogol, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Kenya Marketing Officer, with the MoU being formally signed by Mr Brian M Mogambi, President of KEPhSA and Ms Winnie Rachael, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Kenya’s Country Manager.

This partnership adopts a holistic approach to academic and professional development, ensuring that KEPhSA members are able to strengthen their clinical competencies, research capacity and leadership skills across a range of pharmaceutical contexts. The MoU also includes implementing initiatives such as joint webinars addressing the digital transformation of the pharmaceutical field, as well as workshops designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in pharmacy-related endeavours.

Another aspect of this partnership involves participating in events organised by both ºÚÁÏÉçÇø and the KEPhSA, aimed at promoting education and professional growth, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and upskilling, professional certifications and advanced education opportunities for pharmacy students and graduates alike, in addition to involvement in public health awareness campaigns within the pharmaceutical sector.

Through the signing of this MoU, KEPhSA members benefit from generous scholarship opportunities, enabling pharmacy students and graduates across Kenya to pursue internationally recognised degrees online through ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s state-of-the-art virtual learning environment, in collaboration with its esteemed partner universities in the UK and Africa.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø looks forward to delivering on these commitments, providing affordable and flexible academic programmes, while supporting leading initiatives that result in improved healthcare outcomes throughout Kenya and the wider region, by supporting the academic and professional ambitions of pharmacy students and graduates, as well as cultivating innovative thinking and entrepreneurial mindsets.

Through this dissemination meeting, participants gained a greater understanding of newly developed national health frameworks, guidelines and practices, including the integration of sexual and reproductive health, HIV, substance use and gender-based violence services. The meeting also covered relevant clinical guidelines, communication and outreach strategies, and their implementation within the health system. These valuable insights provide ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University with an opportunity to incorporate current national frameworks into its teaching modules, ensuring that students and researchers alike are equipped to address Zambia’s most pressing public health challenges and priorities.

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University, through its participation in this event, demonstrated its commitment to advancing public health research initiatives and delivering impact-driven community health interventions, not only through its generous and range of relevant , but also through engagement in effective government partnerships. By engaging in national initiatives such as this, the University ensures that its public health curricula, as well as its academic and research outputs, remain relevant, evidence-based, and aligned with Zambia’s healthcare goals. ºÚÁÏÉçÇø University looks forward to continued collaboration with both new and existing partners, including the Ministry of Health, in future events aimed at further strengthening research and community engagement in this field.