University of Pretoria (UP) Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe along with Prof Tivani Mashamba-Thompson, Deputy Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies in UP’s Faculty of Health Sciences, recently visited the University of Edinburgh to discuss strategic partnership focus areas for the two universities.

The international visit aligns with UP’s commitment to forging strategic alliances that help to maintain its position as Africa’s leading research-intensive university. The Scottish university is one of the world’s top research-intensive higher education institutions. It is ranked 29th in the world and fifth in the UK, according to the 2023 Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings.

“UP enjoys rising institutional visibility, broadened global engagement and a growing pool of enduring strategic partnerships,” Prof Mashamba-Thompson said. “This visit aimed to initiate inter-institutional research opportunities between UP and University of Edinburgh staff and students.”

While the visit was co-facilitated by health sciences specialists Prof Mashamba-Thompson and Prof Francisca Mutapi, a professor in global health infection and immunity at Edinburgh University, executives and research leaders from various faculties at the Scottish higher education institution showed interest in establishing collaborative research projects with entities across all UP faculties.

Prof Neil Robertson, Dean of International Partnerships at the Edinburgh University’s College of Science and Engineering, welcomed the visit and shared his faculty’s interest in inter-institutional research capacity-building in the areas of data science and informatics, while Director of the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems Prof Geoff Simm expressed his intention to form a partnership with UP in planetary research and studies related to One Health (an integrated, multidisciplinary approach that seeks to optimise animal, human and environmental health).

The two universities agreed on conducting long-lasting collaborative research projects in the fields of neuroscience and nuclear science.

Prof Tilo Kunath, Chair of the School of Biological Sciences and a professor of regenerative neurobiology at Edinburgh University, organised a tour of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine where researchers make use of human pluripotent stem cells to model Parkinson’s to better understand the disease, and focus on understanding how the protein alpha-synuclein is involved in the disease’s progress. The UP delegates were also given a tour of one of the UK’s leading pre-clinical nuclear science labs, led by Prof Adriana Tavares. The pre-clinical work performed by Prof Tavares has resulted in clinical trials being carried out at one of the university’s imaging facility.

UP shares a special connection with Prof Mutapi, who co-facilitated the visit. She is a fellow at UP’s Future Africa institute and an elected fellow of the Africa Science Leadership Programme. Prof Mutapi is also Co-Director of Edinburgh University’s Global Health Academy and Deputy Director of the TIBA partnership (Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa).

TIBA is an Africa-led partnership funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, and focuses on reducing the burden and threat of infectious diseases in Africa by informing and influencing health policy and strengthening health systems. In partnership with UP’s Faculty of Health Science’s research office, TIBA initiated a partnership with the University on research capacity-building focused on empowering African scientists to effectively and sustainably tackle neglected tropical diseases and improve preparedness.

“It was a pleasure to host Prof Mashamba-Thompson,” Prof Mutapi posted on Twitter. “Her visit to the TIBA research group was insightful and her experiences will undoubtedly have a positive impact on shaping the future of our work!”

A meeting with Sharon Boateng, programme manager for the Mastercard Foundation Scholar Programme at Edinburgh University, was also very productive. The programme that she manages provides postgraduate students outside the UK with scholarship opportunities to study at Edinburgh University.

“We plan to collaborate with her office to create an inter-institutional peer-mentorship programme to assist the Mastercard Foundation-funded scholars prepare for reintegration back into their countries at the end of their postgraduate training,” Prof Mashamba-Thompson said.

This inter-institutional alliance between UP and Edinburgh University is set within the context of UP’s strategic plan, Destination 2026 and Beyond, and is central to one of its core strategies: strengthened research, international profile and global engagement.

“As the changing higher education environment develops, UP is deliberately seeking ways to foster collaboration between researchers and academics, and provide opportunities for new enterprise initiatives and projects,” Prof Mashamba-Thompson said. “As confirmed by Prof James Smith – Edinburgh University’s Vice-Principal: International and a professor of African and International Development Studies – the UP visit and partnership is of great importance to the Scottish institution’s strategic plan on Africa partnership, which is to create strategic alliances with  research-intensive institutions in Africa.”