A New book has been published on Health Africa Network’s nearly 30 years of active international cooperation in higher education and future perspectives
The book launch event was celebrated at SeAMK Campus in connection with Health Africa Seminar. President and CEO of SeAMK Dr. Jaakko Hallila opened the seminar and referred to EU-Africa-Strategy as well as Finland’s Africa Strategy. Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs were represented by Southern Africa’s Team Finland Knowledge Expert Ms Iina Soiri, and Programme Manager Ms Kaija Pajala came from Finnish National Agency for Education.
African Partners from Kenya and Uganda emphasized in their greetings the significance of long-term collaboration and partnership for e.g., developing higher education. Representatives of Maseno University Kenya were Dr. Agatha C. Onyango, Chair of Department of Nutrition and Health, and Dean School of Nursing Ms Linda Mogambi. From Clarke International University, Kampala, Uganda we had Vice Chancellor, Dr. Rose Clarke Nanyonga, Academic Registrar Ms Evelyn Ayot, and Dean School of Nursing and Midwifery Ms Agnes Agwang. As representative of Into Seinäjoki International Affairs and Relocation Services Ms Elisabet Kivimäki described the importance of multidisciplinary and multi-organisational collaboration and African opportunities in partnerships.
In addition, there were several honoured quests and attendees from Uganda and Finland in the book launch event who had in early 1990’s been involved in the establishing of Health Africa Network. Using distant online connections some of the early-stage Ugandan key persons were able to attend the event, such as Health Educator Ms Catherine Othieno and Principal Tutor Ms Christine Alura, some Finnish members of the Editorial Team were in the audience and others online. As part of the opening ceremony we also saw an informative video greeting from Ms Christine Alura.
The title of the book reflects the central and long-term aims of the network activities: Global Responsibility and Partnerships. The entire Health Africa Network have participated in planning of the book. The Editorial Team members come from four Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. The authors of the articles were teachers, professors, administrative staff members and students from Africa and Finland. In the book there are also articles written by representatives of Finnish National Agency for Education, Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, and Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Health Africa Network as Promoter of Global Responsibility and Partnerships: Establishing and Maintaining Active Long-term Cooperation Between Finnish and African Higher Education Institutions
Ilmo Anttila, Helli Kitinoja, Merja Seppälä, Anitta Juntunen, Helinä Mesiäislehto-Soukka, Tiina Ojanperä, Kaisa Seppälä (Eds.)
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022060643512
The first contacts to Uganda were made as early as 1994. The actual Health Africa Network was founded in the year 1996. Today the Network consists of eight universities of applied sciences from Finland and one university from both Uganda and Kenya. At the background of the above described network there is also an NGO that was established and officially registered in Finland in 1999. This NGO bears the title Health Africa Development Cooperation Organization (HADCO).
Through the years the network has conducted more than ten projects that have been funded by Finnish Ministries and European Union, and the projects have promoted and developed e.g., various health services in Ugandan villages and also enhanced pupils’ school health care and providing meals during school days. Furthermore, measures have been taken in order to develop school curricula and also distant learning. The skills and professional competences of students and staff both in Finland and Africa have improved through numerous intensive courses, final theses, joint research studies and international mobility. The total of about 1000 students and 200 staff members have participated in international exchanges in Uganda, Kenya and Finland. Moreover, nearly 400 students and teachers have attended the intensive courses held in Kenya and Uganda.