KIU Hosts Leipzig University Delegation to Advance Global Health Collaboration

KIU, Western Campus - Kampala International University (KIU) welcomed a distinguished delegation from Leipzig University, Germany, on September 10, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the advancement of global health research and academic collaboration. The visit, conducted under the COVAB Makerere Collaboration, brought together leading minds from both institutions to explore joint efforts in tackling pressing health challenges.

KIU, Uganda’s largest private university and home to the country’s most expansive teaching hospital, played host to Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abd El Wahed, Prof. Uwe Truyen, and Dr. Julius Okuni from Leipzig University - one of Europe’s oldest and most respected institutions in biomedical and translational medicine.

The visit began with a warm reception at KIU’s Western Campus, where the delegation was greeted by the management led by Assoc. Prof. Eric Mabonga, DVC Western Campus, Dr. Ibrahim Babangida, ADVC Academics and Research, Dr. Buni Umi Omar, CEO KIU Teaching Hospital and Research (KIUTHR) and the One Health Research Team. A presentation by Professor Aja Patrick highlighted KIU’s ongoing research initiatives and its commitment to the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

Leipzig’s team responded with insights into their global health programs, followed by an interactive session that emphasized shared goals in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), enhancing biomedical diagnostics, and expanding training opportunities.

A guided tour of KIU’s facilities - including the Institute of Biomedical Research, the KIU Teaching Hospital, and the Animal House - showcased the university’s robust infrastructure and its readiness for international collaboration.

The proposed partnership between KIU and Leipzig is anchored on four pillars: biomedical research, AMR surveillance, training and exchanges, and policy engagement. Proposed joint projects include studies on AMR genetics, gut microbiota, and zoonotic pathogens, alongside capacity-building efforts in diagnostics and bioinformatics.

Both institutions plan to formalize their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding and pursue joint funding opportunities from Horizon Europe, the Wellcome Discovery Awards, and other global health initiatives.

The visit concluded with a group photograph and renewed commitment to building a sustainable academic pipeline that spans MSc to postdoctoral levels - promising a transformative impact on health research in Uganda and beyond.