Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne hosts the launch of the PROSPER project
From 17th to 20th February, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University hosted the inaugural seminar of the PROSPER project, bringing together Kenyan and European partners to kick off three years of collaboration focused on international strategies and outreach for Kenyan higher education institutions.
A new chapter in cooperation between Europe and Kenya
Selected in 2024 by the European Commission as part of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education action (CBHE), the PROSPER project (Promoting Opportunities and Strengthening Partnerships for Enhanced Internationalisation between Europe and Kenya) will be coordinated by Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University until January 2028. It brings together three Kenyan institutions – the Open University of Kenya, the University of Eldoret, and the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) – alongside the European University Viadrina (Germany), with the participation of two associated partners: the ANIE network (African Network for Internationalization of Education) and Freie Universität Berlin.
Aligned with the national development of Kenya's Vision 2030, PROSPER aims to enhance the global standing of Kenyan universities. Based on a collaborative approach to capacity building, the project focuses on staff skill development, the optimisation of institutional strategies, and the strengthening of academic partnerships.
Reflecting on the internationalisation of higher education
The PROSPER kick-off seminar laid the foundations of the project, setting the stage for collaborative work. Over four days, participants from all partner institutions worked together to refine their shared vision, define the roles of each stakeholder, and clarify strategic goals. This meeting also provided a platform to plan key milestones for the next three years and reaffirm the expected outcomes.
During the seminar, representatives engaged in dynamic thematic sessions, addressing major topics that will shape the project's activities. Topics included digitalisation in higher education and research, international and scientific communication tools for internationalisation, and capacity building through institutional project development. These discussions paved the way for fruitful transnational cooperation and fostered the exchange of innovative practices to support the internationalisation of Kenyan higher education institutions.
The momentum initiated by this seminar will continue at the next partner meeting, scheduled for April 2026 in Kenya. In addition to capacity-building workshops that will be organised, this event will provide an opportunity to assess the project's initial impacts and strengthen the connections between Kenyan, French, and German institutions.
