Building on Years of Collaboration with Makerere University and NEMA
Between May 26th to June 4th, we once again had the pleasure of welcoming guests through the Erasmus+ mobility programme, this time from Makerere University in Uganda. The delegation includes four faculty members from Makerere University in Kampala, Dr Lawrence Orikiriza, Head of Department; Dr Gerald Eilu, Associate Professor; Dr Daniel Waiswa, Senior Lecturer; Dr Enock Ssekuubwa, Lecturer; and one specialist from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) of Uganda, Dr Jerome S. Lugumira, Natural Resources Management Specialist.
The visit was a part of the ongoing collaboration between GRÓ LRT, the Agricultural University of Iceland (AUI), Makerere University, and NEMA, with a focus on strengthening partnerships and building capacity in ecological restoration and sustainable land management.
GRÓ LRT has collaborated with Makerere University and NEMA since the establishment of the training programme in 2008. Over the years, faculty members and professionals from Makerere University have participated in the six-month GRÓ LRT training in Iceland, and the institutions have jointly organized several short courses in Uganda. In recent years, the partnership has expanded through Erasmus+ cooperation, with an emphasis on curriculum development in restoration ecology. Makerere University is currently looking to AUI’s experience in developing an international MSc programme in Restoration Ecology, which is based on the GRÓ LRT training programme.
During the visit, the guests took part in several meetings with the AUI Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences to discuss curriculum development and exchange knowledge and best practices. They also met with the programme director of the MSc in Restoration Ecology and other specialists in the field to explore opportunities for academic collaboration. One of the visitors, Dr. Enock Ssekuubwa – a GRÓ LRT alumnus from 2013 – gave a guest lecture to the 2025 GRÓ LRT fellows, reflecting on how the training has shaped his career and the work he leads today.
The AUI International Office had the pleasure of meeting with the delegation from Makerere University to discuss exciting opportunities for expanded collaboration. Preparations are already underway for future student and staff exchanges between the institutions, supported by a newly approved Erasmus+ project. The group also visited the Sustainability Institute at the University of Iceland and met with the director Dr. Hafdís Hanna Ægisdóttir and Dr. Jón Geir Pétursson. Among all the visits and meetings, the delegation even got the chance to explore some of the natural highlights of West Iceland on a trip around the Borgarfjörður region, with visits to Hraunfossar waterfalls, Deildartunguhver hot spring, and the main campus of AUI.
GRÓ LRT and Makerere University have built a strong and growing partnership, grounded in shared goals of education, environmental sustainability, and capacity development in Uganda.
