Alumni | GRÓ • International Centre for Capacity Development

GRÓ Alumni Gather in Malawi to Initiate a National Alumni Network

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:31:00 +0000

Alumni in Malawi from all four GRÓ training programmes decided, at an alumni event held in Lilongwe on 26 March, to begin preparations for establishing a GRÓ alumni network in the country. This marked the first time alumni from all four programmes on geothermal, fisheries, land restoration and gender equality gathered in Malawi. The event was organized in partnership with alumni, the Embassy of Iceland in Lilongwe, and the GRÓ Centre in Iceland.

From Iceland to China: Advancing sustainable fisheries through science: Huixia Chen, GRÓ FTP alumni

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:50:00 +0000

Huixia Chen is a GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme fellow from the 2019-20 cohort. She holds a PhD from Dalian University of Technology in China.

Dr. Anthony Taabu Returns to Iceland as Key Guest Speaker at GRÓ FTP Event

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:53:00 +0000

The GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme (GRÓ FTP) was honoured to welcome Dr. Anthony Taabu Munyaho back to Iceland as the keynote speaker at the promotional event “From Knowledge to Development Impact: Building Capacity for Sustainable Fisheries,” held on 4 February at the University of Akureyri.

GRÓ LRT strengthens collaboration with partner institutions during visit to Malawi

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:18:00 +0000

GRÓ Land Restoration Training (GRÓ LRT) recently conducted a mission to Malawi as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration with partner institutions and supporting transparent candidate selection processes. The visit was led by Acting Director Guðrún Guðjónsdóttir and Project Manager Gunnhildur Guðbrandsdóttir

Twentieth GRÓ‑FTP PhD scholarship recipient graduates: Congratulations to Dr. Veronica Mpomwenda

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:51:00 +0000

On 16th January 2026, Veronica Mponwenda successfully defended her PhD on Nile Perch Fisheries Management.

GRÓ FTP Scholarship Recipient Safina Musa Graduates with PhD in Biology

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:28:00 +0000

Safina Musa, former fellow (2013) from Kenya, defended her PhD in Biology at the University of Iceland on December 15, 2025.

GRÓ FTP Scholarship Recipient Carina Fernandes Earns PhD in Food Science

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:50:00 +0000

Carina Fernandes, a former fellow (2016) and GRÓ FTP scholarship recipient from the Cabo Verde Islands, successfully defended her PhD in Food Science at the University of Iceland on December 10, 2025.

GRÓ GTP topic of the first event in a series on the development impact of the GRÓ Training Programmes

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:32:00 +0000

Join us for the first event in a series highlighting Iceland’s contribution to global capacity building through the four GRÓ Training Programmes, a key component of Iceland‘s international development cooperation. This first session focuses on the Geothermal Training Programme (GRÓ GTP), an intiative established in 1978 designed to strengthen geothermal exploration and development in countries with geothermal potential.

Dr Pang Zhonghe, GRÓ GTP Alumnus: Advancing International Geothermal Research and Education

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:56:00 +0000

Dr Pang Zhonghe, a GRÓ GTP alumnus from China, is a leading hydrogeologist and geothermal scientist whose career has spanned research, teaching, and international development. A graduate of the GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme, Dr Pang has played a key role in advancing geothermal science in China, as well as globally.

Margaret Masette, FTP fellow from 1999, passed away at the age of 70

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 17:40:00 +0000

As a young fisheries scientist from Uganda, Dr. Margaret Masette joined the Fisheries Training Programme in Iceland just one year after its establishment and she remained a devoted member of the FTP alumni community throughout her career.

Ragavan, a fellow from 2018, completes his PhD

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:09:00 +0000

It is fair to say that the fruits of Iceland´s development support, through the work of the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme, is evidently clear in the Sri Lanka fisheries today.

GRÓ Alumni Network Mongolia Officially Established

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:54:00 +0000

The first official GRÓ alumni association, GRÓ Alumni Network Mongolia, was established at an inaugural meeting on the 4th of July in Ulaanbaatar. The meeting brought together 28 GRÓ alumni, including 22 participants that attended online and 6 in-person attendees.

Mohamed Altamash Khan: Engaging Boys and Men for Gender Justice in India and Beyond

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 14:19:00 +0000

Mohamed Altamash Khan, a GRÓ GEST alumnus from India, has built a career dedicated to reshaping harmful gender norms by engaging boys and men in conversations around equality. Currently, he works as Senior Gender Trainer and Program Manager at the NGO Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA), and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education and International Development at University College London (UCL).

The small country that teaches the world – Iceland and development cooperation through the education of the GRÓ programmes

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:28:00 +0000

A translation of an original article appearing in visir.is June 27 2025

Alumni meeting in Beijing

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 06:35:00 +0000

On June 11th four former FTP fellows, joined with 15 other former fellows from other GRÓ training programmes, in a GRÓ alumni networking reception hosted by the Icelandic embassy in Beijing.

Taalai Mambetov, GRÓ LRT Alumnus: Advancing Sustainable Land Use and Ecological Restoration

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:44:00 +0000

Taalai Mambetov, GRÓ LRT 2024 alumnus, works as a lecturer at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) and Kyrgyz National University (KNU), where he teaches courses on environmental sustainability, climate science, botany and plant physiology. Alongside teaching, he conducts research on ecological restoration, sustainable land use and soil carbon assessment. One of his main challenges in his work is promoting sustainable management of natural ecosystems, particularly pasturelands and degraded soils, which are crucial for Kyrgyzstan's agricultural sector. Currently, Taalai is pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Biology, National Academy of Science of Kyrgyz Republic, focusing on grass species for land restoration.

Kunzes Dolma, GRÓ GTP Alumna: A pioneer in advancing geothermal energy and gender equality

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 10:07:00 +0000

Kunzes Dolma GRÓ GTP alumna and PhD scholar is the first woman to be trained in the geothermal profession in India. She has also, since her return, been promoting the use of geothermal in her region of Ladakh, but also having a real impact in improving gender equality, focusing on the participation of women in decision making in Ladakh and opening people’s eyes to domestic violence against women and the need of shelters for women living in such conditions. She is India’s Ambassador for Women in Geothermal (WING), an international organization aimed at promoting the professional development, and advancement of women in the geothermal community.

Akhil Neelam, GRÓ GEST Alumnus: Political parties crucial for advancing women’s political participation

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 11:28:00 +0000

Akhil Neelam, a distinguished alumnus of the GRÓ Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (GRÓ GEST 2023), is a passionate social entrepreneur and policy professional dedicated to promoting gender equality and inclusive politics in South Asia. As the co-founder of the Centre for Gender And Politics (CGAP), Akhil leads a volunteer-driven think tank that has mobilized over 130 professionals from 14 countries to drive research and advocacy work on gender-inclusive politics. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and Liberal Arts, he has also played a pivotal role in implementing large-scale education reforms in India, benefitting over 6 million students through innovative EdTech initiatives.

Shakiru Idrissa Kajugus GRÓ GTP alumnus: A Leader in Tanzania's Geothermal Development

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:44:00 +0000

Shakiru Idrissa Kajugus, GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme (GRÓ GTP) alumnus and MSc Scholarship recipient from Tanzania, is dedicated to harnessing the country’s geothermal potential to drive sustainable energy development. As Director of Business Development at TGDC (Tanzania Geothermal Development Company Limited) Shakiru is leveraging his training and experience to overcome challenges in the geothermal sector. The TGDC is about to drill Tanzania’s first deep geothermal well at Ngozi, one of the country’s most promising geothermal fields, in the southwestern part of the country.

Every Child Should Have the Opportunity to Succeed: Brenda Apeta GRÓ GEST Alumna

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:44:00 +0000

Every child should have the opportunity to succeed: Brenda Apeta GRÓ GEST Alumna