Daily Archive: 1 joulukuun, 2015

School of Natural Resources welcomed a guest lecturer from Mulungushi University in Zambia for two week’s teacher exchange. During his visit Dr Paul Simfukwe from School of Agriculture and Natural Resources gave lectures and took part in study tours and workshops in the fields of cattle management, cattle feeding and renewable energy. This was his second visit in Oulu, so he is already familiar with the university and the campus.

This time one purpose of Paul Simfukwe’s visit was to learn to know the local co-operation organizations of Oulu UAS and to look into the ways co-operation between School of Natural Resources and local enterprises is organized in Akraamo.

An important part of the visit was to further the co-operation discussed during Paul Simfukwe’s previous visit and the visits of his colleagues. Planned actions are based on co-operation agreement between Oulu UAS and the two Zambian universities: Mulungushi University and Copperbelt University. Based on previous contacts and some survey work by the Zambian partners the discussions concentrated on seed potato production. It seems to be a very promising field. Also other initiatives were discussed and there is mutual interest in development and research activities.

Paul Simfukwe’s visit was realized within the framework of NSS (North-South-South) project Zambezi II. NSS is funded through the development aid by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by CIMO.

The co-ordinator of the mobility project is Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Oulu UAS is a sending and receiving partner. During the project Oulu UAS has sent students to study in Botswana and in Namibia and has received students from Zambia and Botswana. Oulu has sent two teachers for two week’s exchange and received lecturers from African partner universities in Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. It is particularly important that there is continuity and relationships can be established properly. Successful mobility project can thus be turned into joint development actions. The mobility project in this form has been running from June 2013 and is about to finish in November 2015.

Even though a lot of work was done during the two weeks, Paul Simfukwe had also a chance to spend some free time in Finnish forests and get familiar with Northern nature. He was taken to a field trip and a visit to a hunting cottage in Ii. Paul is an experienced hunter and this time the Finnish hunting methods were presented to him by Matti Järvi and Mikko Aalto. And, since we are in Finland, sauna was an integral part of the weekend.  

 Visiting Oulu waste management center, photo Mikko Aalto

Finnish nature experience, photo Mikko Aalto

Arja Maunumäki, lecturer in School of Natural Resources