IPMB Alumni meeting

Description

Alumni meeting of the Interuniversity Master of Science in Molecular Biology (IPMB) at the Institute for Primate Research in Kenya (September 17th to 19th, 2017)

The organization of international alumni meetings aims at bringing together IPMB graduates active at home and to foster the exchange of experiences in the field of research, education and management, as well as the development of future collaborations, both at home and with Flemish scientists, especially IPMB lecturers who are interested in setting up collaborative research or educational projects with their former students. The proposed meeting took place at the “Institute for Primate Research” (IPR) in Nairobi Kenya and was hosted by Dr Atunga Nyachieo, a former IPMB graduate.
Since its establishment in 1996, 35 students from Kenya graduated from the ICP “Master of Science in Molecular Biology” (IPMB), most of whom returned to their home country where they are involved in research, education and policy making. Students and alumni of IPMB have expressed on several occasions, the need for alumni meetings to update their knowledge, to exchange experiences, to have the opportunity for networking and to get to know each other’s activities in the fields of research, education and extension. Also, such meetings would give alumni (and other participants) opportunities for further or renewed contacts with their previous professors, to foster the elaboration of collaborative projects in the South and between North and South partners and to discuss their research in an international setting. Additionally, the meeting allowed identifying and selecting Kenyan lecturers for seminars to be given at the VUB for our Master students (South North collaboration).
Representatives were invited from Kenyan industries and from the public sector where molecular biology techniques are used in research, quality control etc. Delegates from the industry informed the IPMB lecturers on the skills and theoretical background they expect their co-workers to have. Their suggestions will be used to improve our study programme in the future (new programme design).
Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and from the Ministry of Health were invited as partners in the development of the new programme of our Master course.
Finally, this meeting enhanced the visibility and constitute an efficient promotion for the IPMB Programme and for the VUB at large.

Period	18 Sep 2017 → 19 Sep 2017
Event type	Conference
Location	Nairobi, Kenya
Degree of Recognition	International